Among all of the smartwatch makers we know, the Fossil Group is perhaps the busiest. Of course, this is expected since it owns a lot of brands like DKNY, Marc Jacobs, Emporio Armani, Kate Spade, Skagen, and Misfit. A number of smartwatches we’ve featured here are from Fossil. This time, we’re learning Google and Fossil Group have teamed up to deliver a new smartwatch technology. The search giant is said to be spending $40 million to purchase a wearable tech from the Fossil Group.
The amount is for an intellectual property that Google needs and wants from Fossil. We’ve seen this drill before–a brand or tech goes big, Google gets intrigued, Google buys it, and then the brand gets bigger. Perfect examples were Android and YouTube.
Google already has Wear OS (formerly Android Wear) but it still needs a boost as it has a number of challengers.
The Research and Development Team of Fossil will be joining Google. We’re thinking something similar to what has happened to HTC will happen although Google isn’t buying Fossil as a whole–just one of its secret technologies related to wearable.
The tech is still being developed. Google has seen how Fossil has developed the wearable business. Fossil’s EVP and Chief Strategy and Digital Officer Greg McKelvey said, “We’ve built and advanced a technology that has the potential to improve upon our existing platform of smartwatches. Together with Google, our innovation partner, we’ll continue to unlock growth in wearables.”
The new product line will be a result of whatever Fossil and Misfit have worked on before plus Google’s inputs. It will still be focused on wearables and we’re excited at this partnership because Fossil has been successful in the watch business and Google definitely knows the wearable platform side.
SOURCE: Fossil
