Hybrid smartwatches that blend physical watch hands with an electronic display isn’t uncommon in this day and age. However, what sets the Fossil Hybrid HR apart from others is its inclusion of an e-ink display that efficiently prolongs battery life.
The Hybrid HR features analog dials with a circular low-power, always-on e-ink display on a stainless steel 42mm casing. Of course, being a hybrid, it lacks a touchscreen interface; user interaction is instead handled by three physical buttons on the right side. Along with the watch, Fossil is also offering a variety of luxurious straps which includes leather, silicon, and stainless steel.
Unlike Fossil’s fourth and fifth generation smartwatches, the Hybrid HR doesn’t run on Google’s Wear OS, but an internally developed firmware which is unique to the watch. Its e-ink user interface provides displays such as notifications, alerts, heart rate and physical activity tracking, as well as also music playback functions. Connectivity-wise, the smartwatch is compatible with any Android 5.0 and iOS 9.0 devices via Bluetooth 4.2.
According to Fossil, the Hybrid HR’s battery could last up to two weeks on a single charge, thanks on no small part to its power-efficient monochromatic display. Outdoor and sports enthusiasts will be glad to know that the smartwatch is a;sp waterproof up to 3ATM.
The Fossil Hybrid HR retails from US$195 (~RM808) and is currently available in the US. There’s no word on a Malaysian release just yet, but Fossil does say that the hybrid smartwatch is expected to arrive in more regions soon.
