OnePlus’ first foray into the smartwatch segment was considered a mess. The maiden OnePlus Watch faced many user complaints which were pinned down mostly on poor implementation of the device’s proprietary operating system. OnePlus looks set to correct its mistakes with the Watch 2, which has also started to be teased ahead of the rumored launch.
OnePlus Watch 2 design and OS
In a photo posted on OnePlus’ community, the Chinese company revealed the design of its upcoming and yet-unnamed smartwatch, which is likely going to carry the OnePlus Watch 2 moniker. While the photo only showed the watch’s silhouette, it does confirm a circular form factor that is similar to the original Watch and inspired by the camera ring on the OnePlus 12 (review).
Despite the similarity in shape, it revealed how the Watch 2 will arrive with a few design touches to distinguish it from the Watch 1. Primarily, we see the right section featuring an island with a physical button and dial. This corroborates earlier renders shared by On Leaks.
There is also a tagline that says “It’s time to do it right!” that could suggest that it is going to ditch its custom OS in favor of Wear OS on the Watch 2. With that in mind, OnePlus could likely offer more third-party apps and customizations for the Watch 2, which are some of the biggest shortcomings of the predecessor.
However, nothing has been confirmed yet so we are not sure whether we will see it boot on Wear OS 3.5 or the newer Wear OS 4 that powers the likes of Google Pixel Watch 2 (review), Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 (review), and selected Android-based smartwatches.
OnePlus Watch 2 launch date and price
OnePlus also hinted that the OnePlus Watch 2 could be official on February 26 as was described in the teaser which advertised a contest that will run until the said date. This timing is aligned with the start of MWC in Barcelona, which will kick off next week.
Leaker Max Jambor also previously stated the OnePlus Watch 2 will be announced at the annual tech show in Europe. It added the smartwatch will feature a 1.43-inch circular OLED screen and is equipped with a Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 processor. Unfortunately, there’s no word how much the Watch 2 will cost, though it should likely undercut most of the alternatives in the market.
Which features do you wish to see most in the OnePlus Watch 2? Should OnePlus include safety features like fall detection in its watch? Hit us with your answers in the comments.
