The rollout of Wear OS 3 and Google Assistant has been marred by several issues, with only Samsung enjoying a relatively smooth update process. Fossil Gen 6 watch users, in particular, experienced significant drawbacks and endured lengthy delays in receiving Wear OS 3. Furthermore, Google Assistant was initially unsupported, but now it has made a comeback.
The latest firmware version, RFHC.230409.014, is currently being deployed to the newest Fossil smartwatch models, featuring the reintroduction of Google Assistant among the voice assistants. Fossil has confirmed this update in the changelog, signaling a revival of Google Assistant on smartwatches powered by Wear OS 3.
However, the opportunity for a comeback will only arise once both the watch and its companion app are updated, which may take a few more days.
Google Assistant still absent on certain watches
Meanwhile, the situation surrounding Google Assistant and Wear OS remains complex, as exemplified by the absence of the voice assistant on the recently launched TicWatch Pro 5. This approach raises questions, as it lacks a coherent strategy. It would be more logical to either support all third-party devices or none at all, rather than adopting this peculiar combination.