Android Wear: Fossil or Michael Kors?

Earlier this year, a number of different names in the watch industry came forward with new Android Wear watches launching towards the end of the year. Finally, those watches are now launching, and over the past fortnight both Fossil and Michael Kors watches running Android Wear went up for sale. With both of these being brands that appeal to a younger generation, as well as those looking for a watch that’s good-looking first, and functional second, which one customers end up choosing might come down to the brands themselves. Which of these are the ideal choice for millennials out there looking for a new smartwatch, one with style and credibility?

Starting with Fossil, the company is following up last year’s Fossil Q Founder with the new Q Marshall and Q Wander. Where the former looks very similar to the Q Founder, the Q Wander is a much more modern looking device and one that will arguably appeal to a female audience more than the Q Marshall would. Both models are available in a number of different colors and styles – including gold color options – and while they’re powered by the new Snapdragon Wear 2100 CPU, they won’t win any awards for functionality. They feature displays with a flat tire look to them, and they don’t have the same level of fitness features you might find elsewhere in the world of Android Wear. If you’re wondering what the “Q” is all about, this is Fossil’s name for their smart wearable devices, and with about a year in the market, it’s arguable that they have some experience.

Michael Kors meanwhile, sport devices that are very similar to the Fossil options, but are perhaps a little more feminine, as well as a little flashier. Named Dylan for the men and Bradshaw for the ladies, the Michael Kors options come in a variety of different colors as well as a number of different strap options. These all look pretty good, but the men’s option, which comes with silicon band options, does look a little G-Shock-gone-wrong overall. Of course, this is all down to personal preference. On the inside, they sport the same Snapdragon Wear 2100 and flat tire display, which makes the choice pretty much irrelevant in terms of hardware.

Earlier, we asked whether or not the choice between these two is anything more than the brands themselves, and considering that the Fossil Group makes watches for Michael Kors, this is exactly what it comes to; branding. These four models of watches will all be made by the same manufacturer, the only thing separating them being the watch faces and overall look and feel to the different watch faces included out of the box. For the majority of users out there, this will be all that matters, but these brands do matter to Android Wear on the whole. So, which one do you choose? Let us know over on Google+ and down below!