OnePlus Watch enters crowded smartwatch market, might pose threat to Apple: Analysts

Samsung recently held its first-ever online-only hardware showcase for 2020. The second Unpacked presentation unveiled two flagship smartphones: The Galaxy Note 20 series and the Galaxy Z Fold2 5G. Other products include the Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Tab S7 series, and the Galaxy Watch 3. The latter brings back an exclusive feature requested by users and even more, which analysts claim makes its better than the incoming Apple Watch Series 6. Now, another unlikely competitor emerges in the form of the OnePlus Watch.

A few months back, the Oppo Watch made its debut to the surprise of many consumers. Although others criticised its resemblance to Apple's popular wearable, it has enough differences to stand out. In fact, tech industry analysts were surprised that it ran on Google's Wear OS platform, which has been the subject of controversy over its poor battery management. Being another subsidiary of BBK Electronics, the smartwatch from OnePlus might share some similarities via a co-brand approach.

As reported by Forbes, the Chinese electronics brand already attempted to compete against the Apple AirPods series with its own true-wireless earbuds. As specified by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) – a Singapore-based regulator – listed a device called the OnePlus Watch with an associated model number indicated as W301GB.

With almost every other smartwatch manufacturer abandoning Wear OS, many find a welcome return after Huawei and Samsung shifted to their respective proprietary software. Still, as long as the OnePlus Watch manages to address the known issues with battery life, it can potentially revive interest over Google's wearable operating system.

The brand is already known for its flagship-tier design and premium-grade construction, which is probably why there are already high expectations prior to its official reveal. OnePlus engineers and software developers might have what it takes to bring out the best of Wear OS. Moreover, the addition of unique functionalities unseen on other devices in its range could position it as a must-have smart accessory for 2020.

After years of anticipation, Google is yet to announce a smartwatch under its Pixel lineup. First-party hardware is usually optimised to deliver the best experience and performance. On the other hand, the Oppo Watch and the upcoming OnePlus Watch could spur the internet search giant to finally manufacture the Pixel Watch.