What you need to know
- A new hint suggests a possible switch from RTOS to Google’s Wear OS for OnePlus’ next smartwatch.
- Oppo, OnePlus’ sister company, teased the launch of the Watch X on February 29, and its hardware closely resembles the earlier images of the OnePlus Watch 2.
- Oppo’s post on X reveals a “Wear OS by Google” logo, and the watch requires Android 8.0 or newer.
OnePlus has remained mum on whether its upcoming smartwatch will stick with RTOS, but there’s a fresh clue suggesting a switch to Google’s Wear OS.
Oppo, OnePlus’ sister company, has teased on X (formerly Twitter) its upcoming Watch X, which is set to launch on February 29.
Meet your all-in-one companion, the #OPPOWatchX. Launching on 29 February 2024. Stay tuned! #ElevateEveryMoment pic.twitter.com/b0wekt1coqFebruary 23, 2024
The hardware looks remarkably similar to the previous OnePlus Watch 2 press images, complete with those angular side buttons. That said, it’s possible there could be minor hardware tweaks.
OnePlus already confirmed that it’s taking the wraps off the OnePlus Watch 2 on February 26 at MWC, beating Oppo’s smartwatch reveal by three days. But the juicy part from Oppo’s post on X is a small “Wear OS by Google” logo under the tagline. The fine print at the bottom also states that it needs Android 8.0 or newer.
If Oppo’s next smartwatch is rocking Wear OS, it’s almost a done deal that OnePlus’ upcoming wearable runs the same OS too. Sure, there’s a slight chance the OnePlus Watch 2 could stick to its RTOS roots, but considering how tight-knit these two companies are, it’s not looking too probable.
It’s no surprise that Oppo and OnePlus are rolling out fresh Android smartwatches next week. Both companies are part of the same Chinese conglomerate, and it’s sort of their thing to introduce similar devices with different names (think Oppo Find N3 and OnePlus Open).
For the time being, some key specs of the Oppo Watch X are already confirmed, including a 1.43-inch OLED screen featuring a 466 x 466 resolution. It will also include a 500mAh battery that supports 10W charging.
Additionally, the OnePlus Watch 2 may include the same battery size as the Watch X, as spotted in an FCC listing (via 9to5Google). A few days ago, OnePlus also confirmed that the watch will have up to 100 hours of battery life in Smart mode.
Hitting a solid 100 hours with Wear OS would be quite a feat. We’re curious to see what tricks OnePlus has up its sleeve to make that happen. This smartwatch marks the Chinese company’s comeback after a three-year break.