Google buys Fossil’s smartwatch tech for $40 million

Credit: www.technobuffalo.com

Last year, Google introduced Wear OS 2.0 with new features, it has very much alive and kicking platform. The search giant rumored that Google will launch it's own Pixel-branded smartwatch that was proven wrong when the Pixel 3 smartphone launched. But the idea might be still on the table as the search giant has got one of the popular watch maker's 'secret' tech, something that Google can use in their own future smartwatches.

The Wearable website reported that Google has bought intellectual property that deals with the smartwatch technology from Fossil. The search giant has paid $40 million for this. In this deal it includes some part of the Fossil R&D team joining Google that will bring a new product innovation that did not even hit the market, said Greg McKelvey, Chief strategy, EVP, digital officer, Fossil Group to the news website.

McKelvey did not reveal the specifics about the 'secret' smartwatch technology. The tech is based on something out of our timeline, it is new to market technology and we think it is a product that has features and benefits that are not in the category today, he said.

Stacey Burr, Google Wear OS' VP of product management, did confirm that the tech in the upcoming smartwatch is purchased by Fossil, will run Android Wear OS.

"We saw some technology that they were developing, if Google had that technology then we can bring out in a more expansive way and was not only able to continue to use it with Fossil but bring it to other partners in the ecosystem, said Burr. It is about bringing great features to the widest numbers of on the go consumers.

The deal will be finalized by end of this month. It is not sure when exactly will we be able to see the devices running the new tech.

Right now we are focused on finishing the development of the product, said Fossil's McKelvey to Wearable. The Fossil Group will bring the product across our full breadth of brands over time in the market and then in true Google fashion, the technology will grow across the industry over time to benefit everybody.