What you need to know
- Fossil Group has pushed the Wear OS 3 update to the Skagen Falster Gen 6.
- The update gets rid of the Google Assistant, although some users noted fewer watch faces available.
- Users should factory reset the watch and set it up using the Skagen Smartwatches app.
Fossil Gen 6 owners have been enjoying the Wear OS 3 updates quite a bit for some time now. But after months of feeling left out of the fun, Skagen smartwatch owners are finally getting an update on their devices.
A Reddit user pointed out a new update that appeared to be rolling out widely on Thursday. We were also able to update some Skagen Falster Gen 6 units.
its_happening_everybody_stay_calm_stay_fcking_calm from r/WearOS
Upon receiving an update notification, the user will be instructed on how to update the watch. This notification alerts the user that the smartwatch needs to be factory reset. This means you will lose all your data and have to set everything up from scratch.
Additionally, Skagen Falster Gen 6 owners will need to download the new Skagen Smartwatches app to set up and pair the device. This is virtually identical to his Fossil Smartwatches app used on the Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition and other of his Fossil smartwatches.
Note that installing Wear OS 3 is optional, but Google Assistant no longer exists as it does not support Wear OS 3 devices with Snapdragon chipsets. Instead, you’ll be prompted to set up Alexa as an alternative.
Wear OS 3 on the Skagen Falster Gen 6 is more or less a “stock” experience, similar to the Pixel Watch, but without Pixel-specific features. However, the Fossil Wellness app still exists and is compatible with iOS (although Google Wallet is not supported on iOS devices). The update also includes his December patch, which rolled out to Fossil smartwatches last month and brought many improvements.
Reddit users point out that there are far fewer watch faces available for this device, with only eight options. This compares to 12 available in the Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition.
If you don’t receive an update notification, you can update your watch by going to: Settings > System > About > System UpdateIf your watch doesn’t get the update right away, you can tap and hold the update page for a few seconds until an update prompt appears. This is a trick that tends to work on many Wear OS watches.
The Skagen Falster Gen 6 is one of the prettiest Wear OS smartwatches out there, and now with Wear OS 3, it’s even better. You also get convenient health features, iOS compatibility and super fast charging.
