Oppo's new smartwatch runs Wear OS but with better health tracking
No word yet on US availability though.
Oppo officially unveiled its second smartwatch, simply called the Oppo Watch. Just like the original version which launched in China in March, this thing is an almost exact replica of the Apple Watch. But this time around, Oppo is launching the watch with a tweaked version of Wear OS instead of the Android-based software on its original. The company isn’t sharing details on US availability yet, but the Watch will go on sale in India first and is expected to head to the UK and several other countries.
Three models will be available -- a 41mm WiFi only version, a 46mm size with WiFi and a 46mm one with LTE via eSIM. In the UK, the WiFi version will start at £229 and the LTE model will go for £329.
Although it looks a lot like the Apple Watch, the larger Oppo Watch actually has dual curved edges that the company describes as a “flexible AMOLED”, while the 41mm model is flat. Depending on the size you choose, you’ll be getting either a big 1.91-inch or 1.6-inch 1,000-nit touchscreen that should be easily readable in sunlight.
The smaller version has a 300mAh battery that should help it last up to 24 hours of standard smartwatch use and 14 days in a power saver mode. Meanwhile, the bigger Watch has a 430mAh cell with an estimated 36-hour runtime for the WiFi model. LTE will obviously tap the battery more and Oppo expects the cellular option to last up to 30 hours. In Power Saver, the 46mm should hang around for 21 days, whether it’s WiFi or LTE.
These modes are similar to those you’d see on Wear OS watches powered by the Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset, so the watch still performs basic features like showing the time and counting your steps while it’s running on low power. But Oppo also offers things like notifications and heart rate tracking in its Power Saver mode, making it slightly more useful.
The most intriguing thing about the Oppo Watch is the tweaks the company made to Wear OS on its device. It’s not just about custom watch faces, although Oppo’s default watch face helpfully displays your calories burned and steps taken. There’s also a HeyTap Health app that makes the Oppo Watch a bit better at tracking your health metrics than the average Wear OS watch. For example, you’ll get short workout tutorial videos and coached training sessions, as well as sleep tracking. Runners will also appreciate the onboard GPS for mapping their routes, while those who like swimming will welcome the water resistance of up to 5 ATM.
This is a compelling set of features. But until we know about US pricing and can get our hands on one to try out, I’m reserving judgement -- an impressive specs list is nice, but what matters more is the real world experience.
Update 8/3: We have removed UK carrier information, and will further update this story once Oppo confirms which carriers will support the Watch.
