Fossil Gen 7: Everything we know and what we want to see

Fossil’s core smartwatch series hasn’t changed much over the years. The Fossil Gen 6 launched with the traditional rounded face and large pushers. Still, considerable advancements were made beneath the skin with the addition of a blood oxygen sensor and new Snapdragon silicon. While these improvements were welcome, the Gen 6 still fell short of its contemporaries in several arenas. But will the Fossil Gen 7 put up more of a fight? Here’s everything we know about Fossil’s seventh-generation smartwatch and a list of improvements we’d like to see.

Will there be a Fossil Gen 7?

Thanks to its sequential generation-based system, Fossil’s smartwatch naming scheme hasn’t sprung a major surprise in ages. Considering the Fossil Gen 6 was the last launch, we can safely assume the next iteration will bear the Gen 7 label.

See also: The best Fossil smartwatches you can buy

When will the Fossil Gen 7 release date be?

As for the release date, The Fossil Gen 5 models debuted in August 2019, about a year after the Gen 4 lineup. The Gen 6 made its debut in September 2021. The evidence, therefore, points to a Q3 2022 launch for the Gen 7.

What features will the Fossil Gen 7 have?

Design

Fossil Group relies solely on circular bodies for its smartwatch lineup, so don’t expect this to change for the Gen 7. Evidence of this surfaced thanks to FCC listings of models DW14 and DW15, spotted by Gadgets & Wearables in April 2022. The e-label details suggest that both models will use round displays once again.

The listing hints that internal and external images of the devices will break cover in July, so stay tuned for those official shots directly from the FCC.

Specs

We know little about the Fossil Gen 7’s internals at this point, but the FCC listings did share a few key details. The Gen 7 may keep its wireless charging smarts, as the Gen 6 charger will seemingly land with the new watch. Hopefully, this also means the device will retain its quick charging credentials, too.

Finally, if it’s indeed available, we could see the debut of Qualcomm’s rumored Snapdragon Wear 5100 SoC. There’s little evidence that the chipset will make its bow in the Fossil Gen 7, but the omens are good. Both the Gen 5 and Gen 6 featured new silicon from Qualcomm. Should the American chipmaker announce the Wear 5100 before the Gen 7’s release, the watch could be a shoo-in for the chipset. We haven’t heard a squeak from Qualcomm regarding the chip’s development or release, so we’ll have to wait for confirmation.

What will the Fossil Gen 7 price be?

Let’s talk price. It’s still early days in the Fossil Gen 7 leak cycle, but we have a vague idea of where Fossil Group may position its new flagship watch. The Gen 5 and Gen 6 launched at $295 and $299, respectively. Provided Fossil Group doesn’t load the Gen 7 with pricier tech, we expect a similar price around the $300 mark to be the requirement.

It might seem obvious that the Fossil Gen 7 will launch with Wear OS 3, but Google still hasn’t clarified when exactly Wear OS 3 will make it to previous-generation models, let alone future devices. Overall, Google’s silence regarding Wear OS 3’s debut beyond the Galaxy Watch 4 makes us wonder when new smartwatches will debut with the latest software version. We want some more clarification from the Wear OS 3 developer’s release program and the company’s support plans. Considering that the Fossil Group’s devices run pure Wear OS, the availability and development of the OS will be among the more important considerations for potential buyers.

See also: Everything you need to know about Wear OS

Better battery life

While the Fossil Gen 6 did see a charging speed upgrade over the Gen 5, it also packed a slightly smaller battery. This is the wrong way to go, even with the more efficient chipset in use. During our review, the Fossil Gen 6 lasted for a full 24 hours with conservative usage, and when employing the GPS, that number plummets. Either way, that’s not nearly enough compared to devices from Garmin and Fitbit, or longer-living Wear OS alternatives like the TicWatch Pro 3.

With the Fossil Gen 7, we’d like to see Fossil Group focus on the device’s battery life. Sure, the upgrade to Wear OS 3 may help, but shrinking the battery again is not something consumers would appreciate.

More accurate sleep tracking

Plenty of smartwatches track sleep and do it well, but the Fossil Gen 6 is not one of them. In our review, Eric Zeman found that the watch frequently glossed over light sleep and moments of restlessness — two phases that are just as important in understanding sleep quality as deep sleep and REM.

Sleep is an important aspect when gauging day-to-day health, so having reliable data to make an informed decision is vital. We understand that the Fossil Gen 7 probably won’t be a fitness-first smartwatch, but there’s no excuse for getting the basics wrong.

See also: The best sleep trackers available

A larger display

We’ve no real problem with the Fossil Gen 6’s display, however, we’d like to see some advancements made in this particular area. The Fossil Gen 6 uses the Gen 5’s 1.28-inch screen with a few minor upgrades. It’s a fine display, but larger options wouldn’t go amiss. Wear OS 3 runs like a dream on the 1.4-inch Galaxy Watch 4 display. This is the mark Fossil should aim for.

Upgraded water resistance

For general use, 3ATM water resistance is just fine. If you’re a swimmer or snorkeler, however, you might not feel comfortable with the Gen 6’s shallow rating. We’d like to see the Gen 7 upgraded to 5ATM spec, in line with its contemporaries, much cheaper watches, and other devices in the Fossil Group stable. It’s not a major issue, but again, if other watches in the same price range pack a better rating, why settle for the Fossil?

That’s everything we want to see on the Fossil Gen 7. Which features do you desire most? Be sure to vote in our poll above.