Fossil Gen 5 update makes it the first Wear OS watch to make calls via an iPhone

Wear OS watches have worked with iOS for some time now, but you don't get all the functionality that you do when you pair the devices with an Android phone – and that includes making and receiving calls.

With the help of a proprietary software update (so this won't be coming to Wear OS smartwatches in general), the latest Gen 5 devices from Fossil are now able to handle iPhone calls, reports 9to5Google.

That means you can answer an incoming call to an iPhone, and launch an outgoing call too. As the Fossil Gen 5 smartwatches don't have integrated LTE connectivity, you still need a connected phone to manage the actual calling.

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As yet there's been no official word from Fossil or Apple about how the software works, but Reddit users have reported the new functionality. If you own a Gen 5 watch, the required update should appear very soon, if it hasn't already.

Fifth time around

This calling feature is made possible because of the built-in speaker on the Gen 5 smartwatches from Fossil – that speaker is one of the key upgrades you get over the Gen 4.

In our Fossil Gen 5 smartwatch review we found ourselves impressed by the battery life, the speed and the design of the latest wearable from Fossil, which is available in six different color and finish combinations.

The Gen 5 is one of the best smartwatches you can strap to your wrist right now – it's certainly one of the best watches sporting the Wear OS software from Google.

Another of the smartwatch's key features is the ability to pick a custom battery mode, so you can choose the balance between utility and battery life by turning certain options (like GPS and NFC) on or off.