Fossil reportedly working on new smartwatch with LTE

It’s been over a year since Fossil introduced its Gen 5 smartwatches. You’d think the company would be gearing up to introduce a follow-up to the wearable, but we may see a minor update to the Gen 5 instead.

FCC docs (via Android Authority) suggest Fossil may soon introduce a Gen 5 with cellular. If true, it would be the company’s first smartwatch with LTE capabilities. No other details about the alleged smartwatch are revealed by the FCC, but we’re guessing consumers will be able to use the device with the major carriers in the U.S.

Initially launched last August, Fossil’s Gen 5 smartwatches come equipped with the Snapdragon 3100, 1GB of RAM, speakers, and Wear OS. While their internals have aged since then, the wearables still look high-end, which you’d expect considering Fossil is known for making nice timepieces.

Since Fossil’s Gen 5 smartwatches hit the scene, however, Qualcomm has unveiled the Snapdragon Wear 4100, which promises better performance and battery life. It’s always possible Fossil’s upcoming device will include that processor, which would surely help with battery life, but we’re not sure at this point. All we know is whatever new wearable Fossil has up its sleeve, it’ll allegedly feature LTE.

Mind you, the addition of LTE is no small thing. Adding LTE to your smartwatch would make it less reliant on your smartphone. That means you can be more mobile with just your smartwatch and nothing else, and you could still take calls, respond to texts, and listen to music. Sometimes, when the capabilities of your device is elevated, you may not care all that much for the specs inside.

While the mystery device from Fossil is in the process of getting certified by the FCC, we’re not sure when this new Gen 5 variant will be released. CES 2021 is one possibility, although the timing seems sudden. Perhaps we’ll see something closer to the spring, when you’ll be able to go outside and take full advantage of your Gen 5 smartwatch with LTE.

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