Google buys $40 million in smartwatch tech from Fossil
(Android Central)

A huge move for the future of Wear OS. Fossil Group, one of the most successful Wear OS smartwatch makers, has agreed to sell $40 million in smartwatch technology to Google. The deal includes intellectual property Fossil has developed, but will also include sending `a portion` of Fossil Group`s research and development team over to Google. Fossil says it will retain more than 200 R&D team members after the transaction, and it isn`t clear exactly how many are headed to Google. Such a large move to acquire IP and R&D talent is, at a minimum, a strong signal from Google that it intends to keep developing Wear OS and other wearable technologies. It also comes in a time where Wear OS isn`t necessarily a shining example of a great wearable platform. The transaction, which is expected to close in February, will obviously help Google further improve Wear OS and expand its capabilities both on a software and hardware level. It isn`t yet clear how Google will choose to use the IP, ke...