When OnePlus CEO Pete Lau teased the OnePlus Watch at a roundtable last year, he gave people hope that the smartwatch would run Wear OS, Google’s left-to-die smartwatch platform.
“Wear OS definitely has room to improve,” Lau said. ‘What we are trying to do is work with Google to improve the connection between the Wear OS ecosystem, Android TV and Android smartphones to create this capability for better interoperability between devices in the ecosystems. It’s also looked very positively from Google’s side, so this is the direction we’re trying to develop, but we have not more than we can currently share about it. ”
Although he did not explicitly say which OS the OnePlus Watch would use, Android users gave some hope to revive the platform that Google had left aside.
The small flame was extinguished this week when Lau confirmed that the OnePlus Watch uses a “smart wear operating system based on RTOS” (real-time operating system). While Samsung is using Tizen for its Galaxy Watches and now OnePlus with RTOS, Google’s smartwatch platform looks more dead than it already was.
Voice of mistrust – Wear OS is a dead platform for several reasons, but two contribute the most: Google stopped using resources to develop it (when was the last time Wear OS had a serious stage with Google I / O?) And Qualcomm’s portable chips fell behind. Contrast that with Apple’s commitment to improving watchOS and custom chipsets every WWDC and fall launch event.
OnePlus’ reason why Wear OS is not used for the OnePlus Watch is similar to Samsung. ‘We chose to go with a smart-carry operating system based on RTOS, because we believe it will provide you with a smooth and reliable experience while providing excellent battery life, which is the biggest concern we have heard of people wearing a smartwatch, ”Lau said in response to a user query on the company forums.
At this point, Drag OS is on the realm of the dead waiting to be placed out of his misery.
At this point, Wear OS is on the verge of death and waiting to be brought out of misery. Technical giants have abandoned it, and six years after the big debut, it’s the only thing that still supports it: fashion brands. In 2017, I wrote that ‘fashion brands save Android Wear smartwatches’ and suggested that Fossil Group consist of brands like Fossil, Michael Kors and Diesel and other fashion brands like Tommy Hilfiger would be able to keep Wear OS life-sustaining until Google and Qualcomm can help with new software and updated portable chips.
The salvation never came. Meanwhile, Apple only increased its lead with the Apple Watch and accounted for 40 percent of global smartwatch shipments in Q4 2020, according to Counterpoint research data. I’m not saying that Wear OS is insoluble – Fitbit joining the Google family could give new life to the smartwatch platform – but I’m not holding my breath that Google will catch up.
The OnePlus Watch – Originally, it would be announced on March 23 with the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro. There are few that OnePlus has not yet shared about the smartwatch or that have not leaked.
UnboxTherapy shared an exclusive look at the OnePlus Watch today:
It looks like a Samsung Galaxy Active 2 with an Apple Watch sports strap. Leaker Ishan Agarwal also shared a bunch of specs from the OnePlus Watch:
- 46mm case
- IP68 water and dust resistance
- Automatic workout detection
- Sleep, stress, blood saturation, heart rate monitoring
- One week of battery life with Warp Charge (20 minutes)
- 4 GB storage
- Control for OnePlus TV
- Black and silver colors
What about programs? – Good smartwatch hardware is not a problem. Given OnePlus’ record-building devices and on a large scale (thanks to shared supply chains with Oppo and the BBK Electronics family), I would be surprised if the hardware is not good. But the lifeblood of a smartwatch is the software. Apple learned the hard way after initially tripping with Apple Watch at the door; it has realized that core programs suitable for fitness are essential, but support of third-party programs is necessary for long-term stability.
WatchOS is still finding its feet when it comes to attracting and retaining third-party apps, which only makes me less confident that the OnePlus Watch will have strong enough app support, given the much smaller user base compared to Apple or Samsung. Will Spotify make an app for the OnePlus Watch? Will your favorite podcast app support it? I’m going to keep a close eye on the software when OnePlus officially makes the Watch next week.