Fossil is trying to establish its position in the field of smartwatches with Gen2 and Gen3 models. Today, we'll take a look at the features, strengths, and weaknesses of the Fossil Smartwatch Gen2 and Gen3 to help you make your choice.

Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch Overview

With Fossil's Gen2 smartwatch, the difference between each of the three variations is a matter of attention to detail. The hardware associated with the Founder, Wander, and Marshal versions are basically all the same and can be recognized by subtle differences in case and style.

Depending on the Fossil Gen2 model you choose, the smartwatch's metal case has silver, black, or rose gold color options. For greater customization, each model features a replaceable 22mm strap.

Taking a Closer Look at Gen 2's Features

Released in November 2015, Fossil's Gen2 collection captivated viewers primarily due to its aesthetic appeal. The

Fossil is always known for making fashion-conscious watches and maintains its position when it comes to smartwatches. If you look at the Gen2 of the

Fossil and compare it to other smartwatches from competing brands, there is a clear difference in design. The

Fossil Gen 2 doesn't look like a smartwatch at first glance, but does it work as a smartwatch?

Fitness Tracking

Unfortunately, Gen 2 excels in style and lacks in the fancier features one has come to expect in a smartwatch- like fitness tracking ability.

At a more basic functional level, the Gen 2 smartwatch provides some fitness tracking by providing reports on daily exercise, distance traveled, and calories burned.

However, without GPS capabilities, this smartwatch is just a simple pedometer. The

Fossil Gen2 has a fitness tracking feature, but there is some controversy over its accuracy.

For example, if there is no heart rate monitoring, the calorie-burning function of the watch should be acquired at face value.

Smart Notifications

One of the more advanced features of Gen 2 Arsenal is the smart notification feature. Fossil Gen 2 users can use the built-in microphone to reply to texts and receive notifications without having to take the phone out of their pocket.

This is an important addition to the Gen2 smartwatch, but it's not very unique.

smart notification technology is fairly common in today's smartwatches, and Gen 2 lags behind, especially in one respect. This means that you can't make calls from your watch unless you're an Android user.

That's right. If you have an iPhone, you're missing out on one of the most popular features of the latest smartwatches.

It's convenient to be able to receive emails, text messages, and reminder notifications, even if you tend to overlook them, without having to look at your phone.

Customizable Watch Faces

Fossil aims to provide a higher level of user customization in the form of a customizable watch face. These watch faces can be downloaded from Fossil's smartwatch app, but I read the reviews and found some complaints.

You see, the Fossil smartwatch is an Android Wear device. This label does not classify Gen 2 as a watch for Android users only, but it does have some serious functional issues facing iOS users. One of these issues is in customizing the watch face, as we found in Amazon reviews by iOS users.

users indicate that iPhone user will experience a degradation of the user experience associated with Fossil Gen2. She cites the inability to change the watch face via the iPhone as one such issue and recommends that iOS users continue to use the Apple Watch.

What Does Fossil Gen 2 Offer in Specs?

Battery Life

Let's start with this very important question: how long is the battery life of Fossil Gen 2? Well, it's not that great in terms of smartwatches. With a single lithium polymer battery, most users report battery life of about 24 hours.

Some users have reported battery life of only 8 hours. Some reports of short battery life seem to be specific to iPhone users, but that's not an excuse. The

Fossil Gen 2 is sold to both Android and iPhone users and there should be no such performance discrepancies.

This depends on the amount of direct use and certain settings, but it's still a disappointing result. The

Fossil Gen 2 wears a hat primarily to be a daily tracker and needs to provide enough juice to spend the day.

Fortunately, Gen 2 is compatible with wireless charging, so charging is easy. It seems to be especially important as it can be changed frequently.

Screen Quality

Overall, the reviewers didn't seem to be very impressed with what Gen2 brought to the table when it came to screen quality. We found some reviews complaining about the very obvious washout when looking at the screen at an angle and the grainy resolution. These issues seem to be due to the transflective LCD display and low resolution.

Another common complaint is the appearance of a "flat tire" at the bottom of the screen. This prevents the watch face from appearing as a perfect circle. This can be annoying to some users in terms of functionality. This particular issue is a matter of taste and does not interfere with the transaction for all potential buyers, but it is worth noting.

Available Sizes

The Fossil Gen 2 smartwatch is only available in one band size with a wrist circumference of approximately 7.5 inches.

For buyers with slightly smaller wrists, the Wonder model is the best option as the case is slightly smaller than the founder or Marshall version. The

user review is overwhelmingly positive regarding the convenience enabled by the size of the Gen2 smartwatch.

According to most user reviews, the watch isn't too heavy on the wrist, it's solid and heavy.

This makes the Fossil Gen2 smartwatch look high quality in combination with a fashionable design.

The Availability of the Fossil Gen 2 Models

Gen 2 models are now available in refurbished form from the Fossil website.

If you get one of these three models (Wonder, Founder, Marshall), you can still choose from specific colors and strap materials. It's now much cheaper at $ 109 compared to the $ 255 introduction price of the

You can also find Gen2 models for sale online from sites such as Amazon and eBay.

Fossil Gen 3 Overview

With some improvements, Fossil offers a smartwatch with more features than Fossil Gen 3 can offer, is that enough? Like the Gen 2 of the

Fossil smartwatch, the Gen 3 has three different models: Explorer, Venture, and Venture Rose. Each

model has its own case color and strap material, with options such as case leather, black silicone, and stainless steel, to name a few. The

Gen 3 adopts its predecessor design and enhances it with subtle design changes including a wide range of color variations.

The infamous "puncture" indicator in the 2nd generation has been removed, and the screen quality has been greatly improved.

I was particularly interested in seeing if Gen3 features and specs were enhanced with the same care, and still stylish.

Digging into Fossil Gen 3's Features

In order for Fossil to make a lasting impression on the smartwatch market, there was an urgent need to address Fossil's Gen2. Fossil seems to be able to make some sales based solely on style, but to reach a wider audience of smartwatches, Gen3's features and specifications need to be expanded.

Unfortunately, it's not a big leap and many of the recent issues remain, so I think it's best to briefly touch on the features of Fossil Gen3.

But don't worry-Fossil Gen 3 goes beyond the specifications described below.

More of the Same

If you're looking for a smartwatch with all the fitness tracking bells and whistles, look elsewhere. Fossil maintains fairly basic fitness tracking capabilities in Gen3, except for the additional features customers were looking for.

Gen 3 users will miss the fitness tracking features available to Fossil's competitors, such as the lack of heart rate monitors and GPS capabilities. There are no major changes or improvements to the

smart notifications either. Like Gen 2, Fossil's Gen 3 smartwatch uses Bluetooth technology to make receiving notifications from your smartphone a bit easier.

If you have an iPhone, you can receive notifications such as SMS, social media notifications, emails, etc. even if you can't answer the phone directly from your watch.

Finally, iOS users haven't made any improvements in that sense, so the customization options for the ability to change the watch face are still less.

New Fossil Gen 3 Specs Prove For a More Quality Experience

You might have been wondering why Gen 3 even qualifies as an upgrade up until this point. Fortunately, Fossil expanded and improved—at least in terms of specifications—just as all appeared gone.

Sharper, Crisper, and More Colorful

The screen quality observed in Gen 3 represents the biggest gain. The flat tire that plagued Gen 2 has been eliminated from Gen 3, as I mentioned previously, but the adjustments don't end there.

With the addition of a brand-new AMOLED display, this more recent iteration also enables a screen with a greater resolution of 454 x 454 pixels.

You won't have to squint to see your notifications because of what appears to be a big improvement in brightness.

The Gen 3 can notice changes in illumination in the world around you and adjust the brightness accordingly thanks to extra sensors (both ambient light and optical sensors).

These modifications make the Gen 3 significantly more user-friendly. Graphics are noticeably sharper and more colorful with little washout effect, whether viewing the display straight on or at an angle or in direct sunshine.

Simplifying the User Interface

The presence of three buttons on the right side of the watch, which differentiates Gen 3 from the less spectacular Gen 2, is another nice feature.

You might wonder what these buttons do. They give you the option for more customizable and improved navigation!

These buttons can have functions assigned to them based on the preferences of the user. You'll enjoy a more streamlined user experience with the Gen 3's design, from scrolling to dismissing notifications to reading.

Gen 2 vs Gen 3: Who Comes Out on Top?

We've reviewed all of the more notable specifications and features included in the second and third generations of smartwatches from Fossil and made comparisons. In that case, who prevails?

Although Fossil's Gen 3 doesn't completely address the obvious problems caused by its predecessor, there is no denying that it is a much more comprehensive smartwatch.

Although there are still a few capabilities that smartwatch rivals like Apple, Samsung, or FitBit provide in large quantities, the Fossil Gen 3 shines in terms of aesthetics.

It's a timepiece with a quality appearance that just looks pricey. Sadly, it appears that Fossil concentrated mostly on what they do best—design—while omitting all of the other crucial elements that make a smartwatch, well, smart.

Fossil Gen 4 - Is There Hope on the Horizon?

But hold on! Do not write off Fossil just yet. Now that Generation 4 arrives, it seems like Fossil is prepared to take smartwatches seriously.

These crucial features that customers waited so long for are now there in Fossil's current generation.

The Gen 4 appears to have finally struck the ideal harmony between style and hardware, including a brand-new heart rate monitoring system to enhance fitness tracking functions and GPS capabilities.

The verified modifications in the Gen 4 suggest that there may still be hope for Fossil, even though there haven't been any major advances in regards to battery life, charging time, or iOS connection.

At first glance, at least, it looks like it could be time to take Fossil more seriously. I'm curious in learning more about this most recent version to see what additional features it offers.

Global Watches

Fossil Gen 2 vs Gen 3 – Direct Comparison of Features and Specs