Fossil Group is getting ready to become a force in the wearables space having announced plans to launch more than 100 connected devices this year. Some of those wearables will be made by its subsidiary Misfit, and some will undoubtedly wear the Fossil brand.
“We successfully launched wearables with one brand and 10 styles in 2015 and quickly ramped up to launch wearables for several brands in more than 100 styles in 2016,” Greg McKelvey, chief strategy and digital officer at Fossil Group, said in a statement. “Bringing Fossil Q to market helped us identify additional opportunity, and based on the positive consumer response, we are going big this year.”
The new products will include activity trackers and smart watches and all 100 styles will be available by Holiday 2016.
The company says it’s “uniquely positioned” to produce a broad variety of connected products that appeal to both fashion and consumer electronics channels. As part of that plan, Fossil Group plans to add 20,000 distribution points, nearly doubling points of sale in early 2016. The company and its brands will now have more than 50,000 total points of sale, ranging from department stores to jewelry stores to big box consumer electronics retailers and more.
It, however, remains to be seen whether consumers will opt for Fossil-branded smart watchers rather than those made by “traditional smartphone makers” and… Apple.