Fossil, a significant player in the smartwatch market for several years, has officially exited the Wear OS space as of January 2025. Known for its early investment and commitment to Google’s Wear OS, Fossil played a critical role in the platform’s early development, particularly before the advent of the Pixel Watch and Samsung’s transition to Wear OS.
However, despite its efforts, Fossil struggled to gain substantial market share and faced challenges with the updated Wear OS launched in 2023. By January 2024, the company announced its departure from the smartwatch market, though it pledged to continue providing software support for its existing products.
Following its announcement, Fossil began liquidating its remaining inventory, offering steep discounts during sales events in mid-2024. Most of the company’s smartwatches quickly sold out, but one product, the Citizen CZ Smart Gen 2, lingered on the market. This smartwatch, a collaboration between Fossil and Citizen, was notable for its fitness-focused features. However, its launch was plagued by issues, including a temporary removal from the market. Despite these setbacks, the CZ Smart Gen 2 continued to be sold on Citizen’s website until late 2023.
By January 2025, Citizen discreetly removed the CZ Smart Gen 2 from its online store, marking the end of Fossil’s presence in the Wear OS ecosystem. Both the “Sport” and “Casual Unisex” versions of the smartwatch, which were deeply discounted in December 2024, disappeared from Citizen’s listings, signaling the quiet conclusion of this product line. This development leaves Fossil’s Wear OS smartwatches available only through third-party retailers, albeit unofficially.
The departure of Fossil and Citizen’s smartwatches signifies a broader trend in the Wear OS market, where legacy watchmakers have largely exited by the end of 2024. With Fossil’s exit, the focus of Wear OS has shifted to tech-centric brands like Google, Samsung, Mobvoi, and OnePlus, which continue to innovate and expand the platform. This shift reflects a move toward faster growth and a more competitive ecosystem.
As Wear OS evolves, the loss of stylish smartwatch offerings from traditional watch brands appears to be offset by advancements in functionality and integration. The platform, now led by the Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch series, is better positioned to cater to a tech-savvy audience, setting the stage for a new era of wearable technology.