In brief: Fossil on Wednesday added a new member to its hybrid smartwatch line. The aptly-named Hybrid HR takes the top features from modern smartwatches and injects them into traditional timepieces for an elegant yet full-featured experience. I'm not a huge fan of watches in general but Fossil has really struck a chord here, especially with that brown leather model.
Developed by Fossil’s 200-person R&D team, the Hybrid HR features an always-on display situated behind mechanical watch hands. The screen displays basic smartwatch information like text messages, caller ID, app alerts, weather updates and more. It’s also fully customizable, allowing wearers to select from a variety of backgrounds, dial elements and button assignments.
Other noteworthy features include general activity tracking (steps, distance, calories burned), heart rate tracking, water resistance, sleep tracking and interchangeable watch straps, just to name a few. It’s compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones, so long as you’re running Android 5.0 or later or iOS 9.0 or newer.
With all of the digital features activated, Fossil says its Hybrid HR can last more than two weeks on a single charge. And with rapid charging, it’ll only take one hour to achieve an 80 percent recharge.
Fossil’s new hybrid smartwatch starts at $195 and is available to purchase from today in a variety of colors and strap styles.
