Fossil Sport long-term review: competition for Fitbit, Polar and Co.?
A TEST REPORT from David Haydl 
on December 10, 2019, 9:32 am | 4 comments
Fossil is actually known for more chic watches and smartwatches. But with Fossil Sport you are going a little differently for the first time. I was able to test the watch.
Fossil actually only introduces one new generation of smartwatches each year (different designs, same specs). But last year cheated another clock to go with it, namely the Fossil Sport. This is the first Fossil watch with the Snapdragon Wear 3100 that the other fourth generation models (we tested) have not yet had. I was able to look at the sport itself during my test and probeer, whether the new Proprocessor makes a difference in use compared to my Fossil Q Explorist HR.
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Unboxing and initial setup
The packaging of the Fossil Sport is very similar to that of the Q Explorist HR, with the exception that the box is now gray. The rest stayed the same: two Fossil and Wear-OS logos on the sides and a transparent window on the top. If you open this, you can take the watch out of the box. Otherwise you don't get much more, only a small charging puck and a quick start guide are still included.
The amount of the contents of the packaging is limited. (Image: TechnikNews)
The initial setup takes place entirely in the Wear OS app for Android and iOS. When you open it for the first time, you will be asked whether you want to set up a new watch with Wear OS. This option is to be selected. The smartphone and the smartwatch then search for each other before a code appears on the watch and the phone that has to be confirmed. Then you transfer your Google account and give the necessary permissions, then the watch can download the latest updates. Then you’re already done.
Design, workmanship and comfort
The Fossil Sport is colourful. The manufacturer sells it Product in several different colors namely black, red, green, light blue and pink. I was sent the black version and I'm very happy with it. The strap is made of silicone and is very soft compared to that of the Q Explorist, which also feels very good. Optionally, the bands can also be exchanged. Any 22 millimeter bath can be used for this. The case is made of a combination of aluminum and nylon and has a diameter of 43 millimeters.
The Fossil Sport is very easy. (Image: TechnikNews)
I was surprised how light the smartwatch is. If you wear it on your arm, it is hardly noticeable due to the well-chosen materials. This can be very pleasant, especially when doing sports. Nevertheless, the watch is water-resistant to 5 ATM.
I am celebrating that Fossil has again installed a navigation wheel on the right-hand side. A light touch is enough to offer an always-on mode again without smearing the display, which is based on AMOLED, and is nice and bright to maneuver through Wear OS. I've always used it with the Explorist and I'm glad that I can do it again now. Then there is another HR sensor on the underside.
There you also attach the loading puck, which I briefly mentioned in the unboxing part. Unfortunately, this one also has this on the model Proproblem that he doesn't stick to the watch as tightly as I and many others would like.
The HR sensor also acts as a contact point for the charging puck. (Image: TechnikNews)
Equipment
The reason Fossil introduced two new watches last year could be the release of the Snapdragon Wear 3100 being. In addition to a longer runtime, this should also offer various battery modes and a performance boost. You notice the latter a bit, I think (the difference is still not dramatic, there are still enough hooks here), but you don't notice anything about the longer battery life. Most of the time, I could use it for a day and a half if I switched off the smartwatch during the night - otherwise it wasn't even necessary. Otherwise it was always over after a day.
Well, let's get back to nicer things. Fossil built an NFC sensor into the Fossil Sport, with which Google Pay can be used. Quite practical for our German readers, but unfortunately we Austrians are still dry when it comes to the supply of Google's payment service. So I could not test this function. But I could turn off the integrated GPSprobeer, more on that in a moment. Some apps and music can also be stored on the integrated memory, provided the selected streaming service allows this.
Software
By now everyone should have guessed: Yes, the Fossil Sport comes with the latest version of Wear OS. For those who don't know what that is - this is the smartwatch operating system from Google. And in my opinion, it is also the reason why Wear OS watches are so hated at times.
I'm not even talking about the user interface or the user experience, because those two things are great. Operating the system quickly gets into your blood, and Google did a really good job of that. There are very clear divisions in where to find stuff, which makes navigating Wear OS much faster over time. my ProThe problem is more the adjustment to the hardware, which is – in short – virtually non-existent. This became clear to me when I realized that you can speed up the watch's performance by by turning off the auto-brightness. In my opinion, a single software feature should never worsen an entire user experience!
To be fair, it has to be said that fossil nothing for this Proproblem can. It's Google's turn to make improvements here. And that's long overdue.
Sport aspect
Now let's see how I do the Fossil Sport while doing sports. For the first time, there are many apps that can be used to record data. This means that you are not (only) tied to Fit from Google, you can also use Strava, for example. Once the right app has been found and the recording started, the watch measures, among other things, the heart rate and the distance covered - and thanks to its light weight it is hardly noticeable.
That's all very good and definitely enough for the amateur athlete. Probe fis at one ProI still don't think I can get around fi tools, so the Fossil Sport isn't for them.
Prices and availability
Since the market launch, the price of the Fossil Sport has fallen a little. Directly from the manufacturer, it now only costs 179 euros. If you look on Amazon, you get this Prowith a bit of luck even for less money.
Fossil Sport: Conclusion
The Fossil Sport was a loyal companion to me during the IFA 2019 and also in everyday life since the unboxing. I could do it in sports too proeasy to wear because it is so light and I hardly noticed it. And although the Fossil Sport was built for this area, the design is not at all flashy in everyday life. Wear OS makes it very easy to use.
But Wear OS is also the factor that makes many people dislike these smartwatches. The biggest disadvantage is that the coordination between hardware and software is not really good, as I explained above. The consequences: a shorter battery life and more stutters in performance. Two things that you don't really want when you spend a good 200 euros on something.
Picture: TechnikNews
Today I would definitely prefer the Fossil Sport to my Fossil Q Explorist HR. What it will look like once I've had the Fossil The Carlyle in my hand, I can't say yet.
Thank you for providing Fossil Sport.
Yes, I was just looking and came across Fossil Sport and your article. Maybe you can answer the question, can this watch also track sleep? Thank you for your help and answer. Best regards from Calau
Joerg Rothhardt
Hi Joerg,
I never recorded my sleep with the watch. After a short research, however, I came across the “Sleep as Android” app a few times, which could help.
Regards
David H. of TechnikNews
Also consider a smartwatch. What do you think about the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2? Thanks for your tip!
Hi Luke,
I want to be honest with you: I've never had this watch in my hand and therefore don't want to comment on it. Perhaps these contact points will help you further:
- https://www.androidblog.ch/2019/12/samsung-galaxy-watch-active-2-im-test/
- https://www.inside-digital.de/tests/samsung-galaxy-watch-active-2-test
Or maybe the Fossil The Carlyle is the right watch for you:
- https://youtu.be/EIoyxN5Wa18
I hope I could help you a little with that!
Regards
David from TechnikNews