Is it time for Pixel watch? Google takes over Fossil’s smartwatch tech for $40 million

It’s secret that Google’s Wear OS (formerly called Android Wear) never really took off. t for Google’s lack of trying though. After giving its smart wearable platform a major design (and branding) overhaul, Google is w buying Fossil’s smartwatch tech and a portion of its R&D team for $40 million in its fresh attempt to make Wear OS relevant again.  

“Wearables, built for wellness, simplicity, personalization and helpfulness, have opportunity to improve lives by bringing users information and insights y need quickly, at a glance. dition of Fossil Group’s techlogy and team to Google demonstrates our commitment to wearables industry by enabling a diverse portfolio of smartwatches and supporting ever-evolving needs of vitality-seeking, on--go consumer,” Stacey Burr who is president of product manment for Google’s Wear OS, said in a statement. 

Fossil is kwn for its hybrid smartwatches that blend smart features with more tritional watch design. It is said to be keeper of a “new product invation that’s t yet hit market,” possibly acquired from Misfit, and Google maybe looking to scale it for its own good and for greater good of Android-powered wearable devices in future. 

Fossil has been a long-term partner on Wear OS since time it was called Android Wear, but its slow option of new- smart tech like GPS and heart-rate monitoring meant, Fossil smartwatches appealed largely to die-hard fans. While rest of lot – bigger lot – moved to better and smarter solutions like Apple Watch. 

acquisition makes more sense for Google though. Google is new to hardware game, but it has shown intent to improve. Which is one of reasons why it acquired a large chunk of HTC's hardware business last year to give its Pixel phones a boost. Fossil acquisition, similarly, raises hope that a Pixel smartwatch might just be around corner.  

Google was rumoured to launch a Pixel watch alongside Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL last year. But it did t.  

"To think of a one-size-fits-all watch, I don't think we're re yet. Our focus is on our partners for w," Google's director of engineering for Wear OS, Miles Barr, h said in an interview. 

"Our Google Pixel line of phones is best experience and Google's take on it, so I imagine we would focus heavily on (Google) Assistant to integrate AI and machine learning into device, which is Google's forte.” 

A Pixel watch did t happen last year, but it is most certainly t de. Fossil acquisition breas a fresh life into Google’s Wear OS platform, and hopefully, company will have something to say about it soon eugh.