Fossil’s Q Founder smartwatch, which was announced in October, is available now in select Fossil stores and at Fossil.com starting at $275.
The Q Founder, which is the company’s first touch-screen-equipped timepiece, features an Intel Atom processor, 4GB of internal storage, a 400mAh battery with an expected 24 hours of use on a charge and a 1.81-inch tall, 0.51-inch thick stainless steel case. The Q Founder runs on the Android Wear operating system and is compatible with Android devices running Android 4.4 or above and iOS 8 or above on Apple iPhone 5 or later models.
The Q Founder also includes a three-axis accelerometer and a three-axis gyroscope and Bluetooth 4.1 Low Energy connectivity. The smartwatch includes an activity tracker, outside temperature display, a timer, text and voice capabilities, and notifications for texts, emails, appointments, flights, calls and more. The timepiece weighs 2.54 ounces and meets IP67 water resistance standards.
The watch also allows users to swap digital faces to change the appearance of the timepiece for any occasion. Users can download new watch faces as they are released.
The Q Founder was the result of a collaboration between Fossil, Intel and Google.
The smartwatch works with Fossil’s new Q Activity app, which gives users a wide range of information about their physical activities, including how many calories they’ve burned. It will also work with a user’s other favorite fitness apps such as Google Fit, Health, UP by Jawbone and UA Record by Under Armour. The Q Notifications component of the app provides updates about social media alerts, important calls or upcoming meetings, and more. A Q Curiosity component of the app alerts users that it’s time to break free from their routines and try something different in their communities, work or activities, according to Fossil.
“Technology is a major disruptor in many industries right now—even fashion,” Jill Elliott-Sones, chief creative officer of Fossil, said in a statement. “But to successfully merge the two, you need to have the fashion design expertise and focus on it first. Thanks to its ability to pair with both iOS and Android devices, and the personalization opportunities it brings, we’re more accessible to more people, and able to complement even the most unique personal styles.”
Fossil announced the Q Founder in October as part of its new Fossil Q line, which also includes two models of stylish fitness bands and an analog wristwatch that connects to a wearer’s smartphone via Bluetooth for alerts.
The Q Grant watch is an analog wristwatch that can connect to a wearer’s smartphone using Bluetooth to give alerts for messages, emails, calls and more. It also can provide fitness tracking and apps news for wearers. Key contacts can be given a specific color to alert users when their calls and messages come in, and vibrations alert the wearer when those contacts are calling or messaging. Two LED indicators are located on either side of the watch, providing color-coded notifications. The Q Grant analog watch, which went on sale Oct. 25, is priced from $175 to $195.
Fossil’s two fitness bands, the Q Reveler and the Q Dreamer, are both designed to be worn by men or women. The Q Reveler can keep track of how far its wearer runs and can notify the user when incoming calls or messages are received from people and apps notifications that are important to them, according to Fossil. The Q Reveler notifies the wearer of incoming alerts via a subtle nudge and color LEDs.
The other band, the Q Dreamer, is a fitness tracker that looks more like a stylish bracelet and offers both a leather band for work and a silicone band for physical activities, according to Fossil. The Q Dreamer also features vibrating alerts and customized color notifications for key contacts and apps. Both went on sale Oct. 25 for $125 each.