The OnePlus Watch 2 is officially ‘introduced’ ahead of its February 26 ‘grand entrance’،
Do you remember the good old days when almost every new product from a major tech brand had a fancy launch event at a trade show like CES, MWC or IFA, following a decent amount of buzz collected in the rumor mill?
Things… haven't actually changed much for some companies, but for some reason OnePlus saw the need to sneak in an “introduction” to its new generation smartwatch between the typical rumor and the “grand entrance” which is now officially planned in Barcelona on February 26 during the 2024 edition of Mobile World Congress.
Here's everything we know now (for sure) about the OnePlus Watch 2
This is a very unusual and decidedly unconventional way to confirm a product launch event that's still nearly a week away, even by the generally unorthodox standards of this company's marketing efforts.
Described as the “perfect companion to the OnePlus 12 series”, the OnePlus Watch 2 will be available in stunning “Black Steel” and “Radiant Steel” colorways. Aside from looking (and sounding) undeniably luxurious, these obviously reveal the premium build material this impending wearable will use to stand out from the aluminum Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic in extra-robust titanium.
Of course, it should be easy to tell this bad boy apart at first glance, even from the Pixel Watch 2, which is also made of stainless steel. The totally funky and quirky side button housing is probably the most notable and striking design element of the OnePlus Watch 2, but in terms of capabilities, the manufacturer expects battery life “industry leader” impresses you the most.
That's certainly a bold statement to make in relation to a Wear OS device, and to back it up, OnePlus claims its second smartwatch will go up to 100 hours straight without recharging in “full smart mode.” While that's certainly a significant number by Wear OS standards that might also eclipse what the Apple Watch Series 9 is capable of in the same department, 100 hours has nothing on endurance between the charges Garmin Forerunners, for example.
Many questions remain unanswered
Although the name of Google's wearable software platform appears (twice) in the paragraph above, it is interesting to note that the current “introduction” of the OnePlus Watch 2 makes no direct mention (or even indirect) of Wear OS. But a number of prognosticators seem convinced that this is the software route OnePlus will take after doing something different with the first-generation OnePlus Watch and failing to achieve its goal.
The company itself suggests that the “OnePlus Watch 1” was… not great (to say the least), prompting a “thinking pause” before a sequel could be considered ready for prime time broadcast.
Like the improved one from Google Pixel Watch 2 Following a decidedly disappointing effort from the Apple Watch rival, the OnePlus Watch 2 is widely expected but not yet confirmed to pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 processor.
Other important details you may have to wait until February 26 to hear official information on include things like screen size and resolution, the extent and scope of the camera's surveillance arsenal. health and, above all, the pricing structure of this next big contender for the title of best smartwatch money can buy in 2024. Of course, if OnePlus can really keep a secret for six more days…
