Today I'm reviewing the Fossil FTW 6078, which currently sells for £255.82 (as of November 22, 2020).
Pros:
- Stylish
- Fast
Cons:
- Battery drain (doesn't last 2 days)
- Slips off-hand if moving
Battery
Right off the bat, I would like to say, the battery of the Fossil sucks. If you turn on background HR, you won't last 2 days. At most the battery would last 1.5 days. By the end of Day 1 after charging, the battery remaining was 25%.
My suspicion is confirmed with Fossil replying to my comment asking how big are their batteries. It is only 300 mAH, which lasts up to 24 hours with normal usage
When the watch reaches low power, the watch suggests switching to watch-only mode, which basically turns the smartwatch into a dumb watch that only shows the time.
Hi. 300 mAh, 3.88V; up to 24 hours with normal usage.
— Fossil (@Fossil) November 18, 2021
When the watch reaches low power, the watch suggests switching to watch-only mode, which basically turns the smartwatch into a dumb watch that only shows the time.
On the plus size, owing to the small battery size, the watch charges relatively quick. In my experience, it charges to 100% in just like 30 minutes.
Style
There's no denying that the Fossil is stylish, and I think it would be good for formal events as a dress watch. The watch is a bit bulky though but that's expected from smartwatches nowadays.
The turning dial is a nice touch, but I don't find it as useful. Throughout my two-week trial, I barely used the rotating side dial. However, I like the fact that the Fossil has two assignable buttons.
In addition, during my outdoor trials, I find the watch sliding around when I'm in motion.
Connectivity
The watch has the following sensors: " Accelerometer, Altimeter, Ambient Light, Compass, Gyroscope, Off-body IR, PPG Heart Rate, SPO2." That seems to be the standard on most modern smartwatches. The watch uses the "Wellness" app to gather data in addition to Google Fit. The Wellness app, however, doesn't reliably update heart rate to the Google Fit servers. Also, it does not update the SPO2 data to the Google Fit servers. To make matters worse, the Fossil Watch does not have a companion fitness app like Samsung Health, Huawei Health, or Mobvoi Health. With my TicWatch Pro 3, although SPO2 data doesn't upload to Google Fit, I can view it on the Mobvoi Health app, which is a good workaround.
Watch Specs
These are the watch details from Fossil's own website:
Product Details
Sku: FTW6078
Platform: GEN 6 SMARTWATCH
Case: 42 mm, Stainless Steel
Strap: 18 mm, Interchangeable
Lifestyle: Always on Display now brighter with more colours. Thousands of watch faces to personalise your look and always see the time. Hundreds of apps from assistant to fitness, payments, music, social, news, games, stop watches, and more. With a 3 ATM design and charging in about half an hour, it’s perfect for all your activities.
Health: Automatically tracks activity goals, steps, sleep, heart rate, cardio level, SPO2 (blood oxygen), and more. Activity modes with GPS keep you on track with your distance and path. Advanced sensors provide the data to power all your health and fitness apps.
Preloaded Apps: Agenda, Alarm, Battery-Optimised Activity Mode, Calendar, Cardio Level Tracking, Cardiogram, Contacts, Enhanced Phone Dialer App, Facer, Google Assistant, Google Fit (Workout, Heart Rate, Goals, Breathe), Google Maps, Google Pay™, Google Play Store, Nike Run Club, Noonlight, Smart Battery Modes, Spotify, Stopwatch, Timer, Translate, Wellness App with Sleep Tracking
Tech Specs
Operating System: Powered with Wear OS by Google
Compatibility: Wear OS by Google works with phones running the latest version of Android™ (excluding Go edition and phones without Google Play Store) or iOS. Supported features may vary between platforms and countries with compatibility subject to change.
Processor: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Wear 4100+
Memory: 1 GB RAM, 8GB Storage
Display: 1.28" Color AMOLED / 416 x 416 / 326ppi
Input: 2 Additional Push Buttons (configurable), Rotating Home Button, Touchscreen, Voice
Sound/Actuator: Loudspeaker, Microphone, Vibration
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 LE, GPS, NFC SE, WiFi
Sensors: Accelerometer, Altimeter, Ambient Light, Compass, Gyroscope, Off-body IR, PPG Heart Rate, SPO2
Battery: 24 Hr + multi day Extended Mode **Varies based on usage and after updates install**. USB data cable with magnetic dock snaps to split rings on watch caseback and spins 360 degrees for ease of use. Approximately half an hour to reach 80%.
Water Resistance: 3 ATM
Watch gallery
Concluding remarks
Personally, I think the watch is more style over function. While stylish, the watch's short battery life is a major handicap.
