CNET: "Fossil Q Founder Looks Nice From a Distance"

Dan Graziano writing for CNET on Fossil’s entry in the the Android Wear space:

I’m left with nothing but disappointment from the Fossil Q Founder. It’s a beautifully made watch on the outside, and it’s competitively priced compared to other smartwatches, but it has too many shortcomings. You can do better. If you’re an iPhone owner, get an Apple Watch. Android users, get a Samsung Gear S2, Huawei Watch, or Moto 360.

And Fossil fans, just get a regular Fossil watch and skip the smart stuff for now.

This comes as no surprise to me because Fossil simply can’t compete when it comes to technology. It’s not their core competency, which means they will always lag behind companies like Samsung and Motorola.

Of course, the problem for tech companies like the ones mentioned above is that they lack the understanding of what looks nice and what’s fashionable. This is what puts Apple in a very special place. Why? Because from the beginning, and especially once Jobs returned in late 1997, design has been one of Apple’s hallmark features. People don’t just buy Apple products because they work well. They also buy them because they look beautiful. No other technology company is positioned this way, and that’s what puts Apple in such a unique position.

This is also why I have a very hard time believing that anyone will be able to replicate Apple’s success in the smartwatch field. So far, only 7 months into the release, Apple is blowing away the competition when it comes to sales. By some estimates, Apple already has 80 percent of the smartwatch market, and many like myself believe that that number may stay there for quite some time.

It’s great that other companies are trying, but Fossil and others in that price range between $200 – $1000 have to seriously start worrying about their future. It may not hit them today, but I’m getting in a few years, it’s not going to look very pretty.