At IFA 2019, Fossil introduced new
Wear OS powered smartwatches. Let's talk about the Diesel On Axial smartwatch which
is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 3100. The exciting thing about this
timepiece is the addition of a speaker that with the use of an app, will allow
users to make and take tethered phone calls from an Android handset or an
iPhone. The speaker will also allow On Axial owners to speak with Google
Assistant and hear notification sounds directly from the device.
The Diesel On Axial has an industrial design and
includes a dial called the "Information Tunnel" that gives off a 3-D,
tunnel-like psychedelic effect. And the "Globe" dial allows users to
tap on the image of a rotating globe to bring up two additional time zones on
the display. The watch offers a number of extra little touches including a
weather effect that uses animation on the screen to convey the current
conditions outside. The heart rate dial, when tapped, shows a rippling water
effect. Speaking of water, the On Axial is water-resistant to a depth of 3 ATM
(over 90 feet).
The watch features four different battery life
settings including an 'Extended Battery Mode.' The latter will give you
multiple days between charges while still allowing users to monitor their heart
rate and receive notifications. The On Axial Smartwatch is equipped with 8GB of
storage allowing it to be pre-installed with music streamer Spotify, an app
called Cardiogram that tracks your heart in real-time, and Noonlight. The
latter is a safety app that can connect the user to emergency services if
needed. GPS Tracking is included and yes, you can use Google Pay to make mobile
payments with this device.
The watch is equipped with a 1.28-inch AMOLED
display with 1GB of memory and offers NFC, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity.
It will be available in a 44mm case made of gunmetal, silver, and bronze-tone
stainless steel. Strap options include black leather, blue denim, and gunmetal
stainless steel. The device will launch next month at a price of US$ 350. You'll
be able to buy it at Diesel stores, from Diesel's website (www.diesel.com) and
from select retailers worldwide.
