Fossil Sport long-term review: competition for Fitbit, Polar and Co.?

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 proI'd like to see if the new processor makes a difference in use compared to my Fossil Q Explorist HR.

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.

Wear OS by Google app – App Store

Price: join for

Wear OS by Google

Price: join for

Design, workmanship and comfort

The Fossil Sport is colorful. The manufacturer sells the product in several different colors, namely black, red, green, light blue and pink. I was sent the black version and I am very happy with it. The strap is made of silicone and is very soft compared to the one on the Q Explorist, which also feels very good. The straps are also interchangeable. You can use any 22-millimeter band you like. 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.

This is also where you attach the charging puck, which I briefly mentioned in the unboxing section. Unfortunately, this model also has the problem that it doesn't hold onto the watch as firmly 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. Using the system quickly becomes second nature, and Google has done a really good job of that. There are very clear divisions where you can find things, which means you can navigate through Wear OS much faster over time. My problem is more with the coordination with the hardware, which - in short - is practically non-existent. This became clear to me when I noticed that you can speed up the watch's performance, 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 problem. It's Google's turn to make improvements. And it'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.

This is all very good and is definitely enough for the amateur athlete. I think professionals will still need professional tools, so the Fossil Sport is not for them.

Prices and availability

Since its launch, the price of the Fossil Sport has dropped slightly. It now costs just 179 euros directly from the manufacturer. If you look on Amazon, you might be lucky and get the product for even less.

• Buy Fossil Sport at Fossil
• Buy Fossil Sport on Amazon

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.