Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch is not a fancy feature loaded GPS watch. It's more of a watch than a fitness device but it can indeed act as a daily activity tracker. It can count your steps, distance, and calories.

There's nothing wrong with this, of course, but users should be aware that they aren't getting a fancy GPS device with this watch. It's paired down in terms of fitness related features but it does have some other tricks packed up its sleeve that add value.

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch tracks your daily movement by providing you data regarding your steps, your total distance traveled throughout the day, and total calorie burn. That's about it in terms of fitness tracking, though. The device is not GPS enabled and does not feature separate activity profiles. It's basically a really fancy looking pedometer.

The watch does have a neat feature that enables users to lift their wrist and "wake" the device. The device essentially goes to sleep when you're not busy looking at it. This is meant to save battery life. Some users did mention that sometimes this gesture activated feature did not work properly, while others found it very convenient.

So what can the Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch do besides look good on your wrist? In addition to tracking your steps, it can also provide you with Smart Notifications. A neat feature is its ability to utilize voice activated technology from Google. It has an internal microphone so you won't need to pull your phone out of your pocket each time you get an alert. You can answer texts on your wrist and do a variety of other things using only your voice. Unfortunately, you can't answer calls using the device but the fact that you can store your phone away in your jacket, pocket, or bag, and still be alerted of important calendar events, texts, and emails is a big advantage.

Another neat feature is the ability to control music via the watch. Again, another function that keeps you from having to use your phone. The watch also functions as an LED flashlight so when your power goes out you know you're covered with your wrist watch. The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch is also compatible with Google maps, so you can see your location on your wrist.

Finally, a temperature reading feature allows you to get accurate weather info via your watch. Sadly, the Fossil watch does not provide sleep tracking or auto-activity recognition.

There's no GPS function or ability to track heart rate so the only pieces of data that need to be accurate are the step counting and calorie burn information. Generally, reviewers were happy with the step counting accuracy. Calorie burn should always be taken with a grain of salt, especially considering the Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch does not have a heart rate monitor function.

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch connects to your phone via Bluetooth and it also has WIFI capabilities. It can also wirelessly sync its data with your phone.

Unfortunately, iPhone users complained that the Android ready Fossil watch had issues connecting to their iOS device. Some reviewers even pointed out that they had trouble receiving all the available notifications from their phone. If you have an iPhone, you may want to be cautious about choosing this watch. Some users also reported intermittent issues with the wireless syncing functionality.

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch is best used in conjunction with Android devices but there is also an application available for iOS. Reviewers were quick to point out that the iOS application was clunky and seemed unfinished. The Android app is much more polished and works a lot better combined with the watch. This shouldn't be a deal breaker, though, since Fossil is perfectly capable of updating the application available and improving upon this.

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch certainly looks great but quite a few reviewers complained that it just wasn't as comfortable as they expected. The watch strap itself wasn't the problem. Each version of the Fossil Smartwatch comes with five different strap color combinations like stainless steel or leather. Users can even swap out the straps for whatever feels more comfortable. Unfortunately, the actual watch unit is what reviewers didn't love. Many found it heavy and clunky. It's a fairly thick walled device and doesn't feel super great when worn. Not the most ringing endorsement for a 24/7 tracker or timepiece.

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch is super aesthetically pleasing. That's probably its greatest advantage compared to other similar devices on the market. A lot of smartwatches look sporty or take up a lot of wrist real estate. The Fossil smartwatch isn't the smallest of its type out there, but it looks darn good. There's an option for everyone. There are three different variations of the watch, the Wander is the sportiest option of the three, and all of them are elegant and well-designed.

The Q Wander option comes in 6 variations including stainless steel, a maroon leather strap, a white strap with rose gold, rose gold steel, a tan leather, and a black silicone band. The Q Founder option comes in 5 variations including a stainless steel casing with a brown leather band. The Q Marshal option comes in 5 variations including a stainless steel version.

This is another selling point of the watch. The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch is made by a company with a reputation for construction quality time pieces. There's no doubt that this watch will stand up to the test of time. It's composed of solid, durable materials, and even just looking at it you can tell it's well-made.

A few reviewers did comment on the screen being a little prone to scratches but they were in the minority. This is probably not an appropriate watch option for those participating in sports activities on a daily basis, especially not hardcore sports.

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch features a customizable watch face. Fossil has managed to design some very elegant face designs available to the user. The watch itself has a touchscreen which reviewers were thankful for since they found the sole button on the device a little hard to press.

Reviewers weren't all very impressed with the screen quality, many found the display was lacking some refinement. Another source of complaints was the strange cut off at the bottom of the watch screen which caused visual disturbances when switching to a different watch face. Users did point out that they really liked the variety of watch faces available for download and that all of them fit the style of the watch perfectly. The Wander version of the Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch features the smallest casing size, only slightly smaller than the other but it's better suited for people with small wrists.

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatches are available in several band options. Leather, stainless steel, and silicone are all available. Each of them has different types of closures as well. Each version of the smartwatch bands can be swapped out for something else. Reviewers generally found the bands comfortable and attractive.

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatches only come in one size. Each watch band version has an approximate wrist circumference of 7.5 inches, give or take. The Wander smartwatch option features a slightly smaller casing design which is appropriate for those with smaller hands and wrists. Visually, it doesn't look too different, but it feels a little smaller when worn.

The watch itself is pretty basic but even then reviewers complained about its complicated navigation. Many also ran into to difficulty with customization. Finding fitness data on the watch was another area where users ran into roadblocks. It's not a very intuitive device.

Another area that could be greatly improved is with the app, as was mentioned earlier. The available iOS app just isn't up to snuff and many iPhone users found themselves returning the device because of poor compatibility between the watch and their phone. The watch is, after all, supposed to minimize the need for folks to need to take out their phone, so what's the point if the device can't properly sync to your iPhone?

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch features wireless charging and most users agreed that getting it powered up was simple and easy. The battery life of the watch is about 24 hours, depending on the functions and settings selected. That's not great battery life for a watch that's supposed to work as a daily activity tracker. There's no sleep tracking, so you can easily take it off to charge at night, but frankly, that's an annoyance many could do without. Many reviewers complained that the watch required frequent charging and that even though they were aware of the battery life prior to purchase, it seemed excessive.

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch is priced a little high considering the features it offers. It has no GPS functionality and lacks different activity profiles for more detailed tracking. It has poor battery life and just isn't a very sophisticated training tool. Still, its stylish look alone is probably worth the price for some people. If you're a hardcore runner, though, this watch just probably isn't worth it.

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch doesn't come with any accessories and it's not compatible with anything other than your phone. There's no way to connect a heart rate monitor or pair a footpod. The watch is intended to be used as a timepiece, a basic fitness tracker, and it can also be used for Smart notifications. It's a nice budget option smartwatch in comparison to the Apple watch.

- Built in fitness tracking technology for steps, distance, and calorie burn.
- Smart notifications allow the user to get all alerts on the watch, no need for phone interaction throughout the day. (cannot take calls via wrist)
- Can control music
- Microphone allows for voice control
- LED flashlight
- Google maps compatible
- Connects via Bluetooth & WIFI and has the ability to sync wirelessly
- 24 Hour Battery life (360mAh battery)
- Touchscreen
- Swappable bands

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch is a basic fitness tracker that looks better than nearly every other similarly priced option out there. It looks like a quality timepiece and hidden inside are some extra features like step counting, an alarm, and Smart Notifications.

It's not the best option for runners and athletes who are hardcore data nerds, but it'll do for those who want a nice watch with some light fitness tracking features. In addition to the basic step counting, users can control their music and even answer texts on their wrist. It's too bad Fossil hasn't released a more advanced, more expensive version of the Smartwatch, as it might be perfectly poised to compete with other premium devices on the market. The Fossil Smartwatch gets by on looks alone so if style matters to you, it might be the perfect choice.