Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid Smartwatch: A Stylish Fusion of Tradition and Technology with Unmatched Battery Life

Contemporary high-end smartwatches are remarkably intricate and packed with features, yet they often fall short when it comes to battery longevity. For instance, even premium models like the Apple Watch series provides merely about a day’s worth of battery life. This leads many users to reconsider such gadgets to avoid the hassle of daily recharging. Additionally, most smartwatches have design elements that can seem rather uninspiring; they essentially present a screen on your wrist, lacking the timeless elegance and mechanical craftsmanship found in traditional timepieces.

This is where hybrid smartwatches gain relevance. Marketed as a blend of modern smart features and classic appeal, a hybrid smartwatch merges the advantages of both kinds, promising significantly enhanced battery performance compared to standard high-end smartwatches. The model I’m evaluating today, the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid, exemplifies this.

With a starting price of Rs. 18,495 in India, the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid boasts an E Ink display, fitness monitoring features, Alexa voice assistance, and a claimed battery life of up to two weeks. Is this hybrid smartwatch a worthy option for style-savvy consumers with a mid-range budget? Read on to find out.

The Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid features three physical buttons for control and navigation

Varieties and Pricing of the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid Smartwatch

Fossil has introduced the Gen 6 Hybrid smartwatch in two versions: Machine (45mm) and Stella (41mm). Beyond the obvious size difference, the design tends to favor the former for men and the latter for women.

Both versions come in a variety of colors and strap materials, including silicone, leather, and stainless steel. The models with silicone or leather straps are priced at Rs. 18,495, while those with steel straps are slightly higher at Rs. 18,595. For this review, I received the black Machine Gen 6 Hybrid fitted with a stainless steel mesh strap.

Design of the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid Smartwatch

As is typical for hybrid smartwatches, the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid incorporates an analogue time display, featuring mechanical hour and minute hands. However, it’s important to note that these hands are not entirely mechanical; they synchronize with a smartphone for time adjustment, moving to enhance the ‘smart’ features of the watch.

There is no second hand or crown; instead, the part resembling a crown serves as a physical button that doesn’t rotate. The watch also has two additional buttons positioned above and below the central button for navigation, which can quickly access specific functions from the home screen. A microphone located on the left side allows for voice command usage.

The smart features on the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid are managed through an E Ink display situated beneath the hands. This energy-efficient display significantly extends battery life compared to traditional full-color screens and is easier on the eyes. However, this display lacks backlighting, making it less readable in the dark than those equipped with backlit screens. To light the display temporarily, a double-tap on the glass activates lights for five seconds, though I found a firmer tap was necessary to trigger it.

Voice commands can be issued to Alexa via the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid, with responses appearing as text on screen

Previously, several concerns regarding fogging issues under the glass surfaced in earlier Fossil Hybrid smartwatch models. However, I didn’t experience such problems even under humid conditions or after exiting an air-conditioned vehicle, indicating that Fossil has resolved these issues in the Gen 6 Hybrid.

The black finish of my review unit pairs nicely with the stainless steel mesh strap, featuring a 45mm case with a polished yet simple design suitable for both formal and casual attire. I found the strap of the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid to be fairly comfortable, though it contributed noticeable weight to the already substantial smartwatch. Opting for a silicone strap would offer a more comfortable experience, and the straps can be replaced with any 24mm quick-release straps.

On the underside of the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid are optical sensors for measuring heart rate and blood oxygen levels, along with the magnetic charging system. The charger attaches and makes contact with metal running along the midsection, allowing for attachment from any angle.

The Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid holds a 3ATM water resistance rating and connects to paired smartphones via Bluetooth 5. It is powered by the Fossil Q Intel Atom processor and includes 16MB of internal storage, which is utilized for its functionality and is not user-accessible. The retail package contains the magnetic charger equipped with a USB Type-A plug and user manuals.

Software, Interface, and Application of the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid Smartwatch

I would typically anticipate a straightforward software and user interface on a hybrid smartwatch, but the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid surprisingly offers a rather intricate one for this type of device. While the E Ink display might suggest simplicity, it effectively supports the essential features of a smartwatch. It can clearly present text for notifications and information, as well as access tools such as timers, music controls, and weather updates, among others.

The companion app manages the Bluetooth connection with the smartphone, and allows you to customize themes for the E Ink display

When displaying notifications, the hands conveniently move aside for an unobstructed view of the E Ink display elements, snapping back into place to show the time once you’re finished. A quick shake of the wrist from the home screen will cause the hands to move momentarily, providing a clearer view of the complications shown. These clever features ensure that the display remains visible at all times.

The hands also act as navigational pointers for the user’s interface, allowing you to scroll through different features on the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid. The top and bottom buttons enable scrolling, while the middle button selects the function the hands are indicating. In some cases, pressing the middle button returns you to the home screen. This offers a sleek solution to compensate for the absence of touchscreen functionality.

Significantly, the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid includes support for the Alexa voice assistant. You can either assign it to the top button or access it from the app menu, speaking into the microphone on the watch’s left side. Responses appear as text on the display, and the entire system is synced with your Amazon Alexa account for tailored responses and integration with other devices you may have.

A variety of workout modes can be chosen from the menu, including walking, running, cycling, and elliptical training, among others. Workout data can be reviewed within the app.

Of course, this necessitates the smartwatch being connected to a smartphone that also must have Internet access. I was able to utilize the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid for answering queries and controlling IoT devices linked to my account, but I could not manage music playback on the paired smartphone or Echo devices. Alexa must be configured through the main app for full functionality.

Water resistance of the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid is rated at 3ATM

The Fossil Smartwatches app (available on both iOS and Android) handles the connection between the smartphone and the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid. The initial setup and pairing process was quite quick and straightforward, with seamless connectivity and synchronization. The app displays health tracking information and battery levels, and also allows you to sync health data with Google Fit or Apple Health if desired. There are several basic settings that can be adjusted, including watch hand calibration, choice of distance and temperature units, and personal health and fitness goals.

You can also swap out watch faces; however, this is naturally not as intricate as on smartwatches featuring vibrant full-color displays. You may select either a white or black background with multiple style options in both colors, and choose complications and data points to display, like battery level, heart rate, steps, and weather. Custom styles can be created with personal images, albeit I found these to look slightly awkward compared to the standard watch faces.

In addition, you can select which apps are allowed to send notifications to the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid, and also ring your smartphone from the smartwatch. I noticed that the Android app caused substantial battery drain on my smartphone, resulting in more frequent charging, while the same issues were not observed on iOS.

Performance and Battery Life of the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid Smartwatch

A hybrid smartwatch offers a distinctly different experience compared to traditional touchscreen smartwatches or even premium fitness devices from brands like Garmin and Fitbit. With hybrid models, the emphasis is placed on aesthetic appeal and battery longevity, and the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid largely meets expectations in these areas. At the same time, it performs impressively as a fitness tracker.

The Fossil smartwatch is visually appealing, with remarkable battery life

Heart rate and blood oxygen measurements were accurate when compared to a pulse oximeter and my Apple Watch Series 5 when stationary or seated. Heart rate readings while walking were occasionally difficult to capture due to the loose fit of the metal strap. All health data is clearly presented in the wellness app for easy reference.

Step tracking accuracy was among the best I’ve encountered on examined wearables; the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid recorded 1,001 steps when I had manually tallied 1,000. During a longer walk of over 3,000 steps registered by the Apple Watch, the Fossil smartwatch noted only a 30-step discrepancy, a margin of error below one percent.

This surpasses many competitors, including the higher-priced Wear OS-centric Michael Kors Gen 6 Bradshaw. Although there is no built-in GPS, the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid can utilize tethered GPS by accessing the smartphone’s GPS to track distances during outdoor activities like walking, running, and cycling. This feature performed as expected, corroborating the distance recorded by my GPS-connected Apple Watch.

Other essential functions of the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid, including music control, stopwatch, timer, and weather app performed reliably. Notifications were consistently transmitted, providing caller ID and allowing for the viewing of text messages directly on the watch. The connectivity was generally stable, maintaining a connection with the smartphone at distances of up to 4m.

The battery performance of the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid is outstanding, attributed to the efficient hardware used. The manufacturer claims that the smartwatch can operate for as long as two weeks on a single charge, and I verified this claim with moderate use involving regular notifications, workout sessions, and frequent smartphone alerts.

Conclusion

The notion of a hybrid smartwatch isn’t brand new, but the absence of genuine ‘smart’ features in such devices has often been a pivotal reason why consumers lean towards fully-fledged smartwatches. The Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid stands out by successfully bridging the gap between contemporary technology and traditional mechanical elegance, offering precise fitness tracking, Alexa integration, dependable notification capabilities, excellent battery longevity, and an elegant design.

For genuine all-day usage and suitability for any occasion, I believe there is no better option than the Fossil Machine Gen 6 Hybrid available around Rs. 20,000 at present. Its efficient, powerful hardware, reasonable pricing, and stylish aesthetics signify a promising future for hybrid smartwatches.

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