Image source: Huawei

Huawei Watch GT 2 software update enables NFC outside of China

One feature that was advertised but missing from the international version of Watch GT 2 is NFC. The latest software update rectifies this, but only to an extent.

Essential readingTop fitness trackers and health gadgets

The LiteOS device was unveiled in September. It comes in two sizes, lots of health and fitness smarts and excellent battery life. The latest generation of Watch GT has a thinner, more compact design than its predecessor. It sports a slightly larger display area which Huawei has achieved by shrinking the bezel.

One core smart feature that was missing for non-Chinese users was NFC. This is a wireless technology able to transfer data between connected devices. It can be used for many things, but most notably to enable you to make payments without the need for a smartphone or physical card.

Huawei Watch GT 2 software update enables NFC functionality
Image source: Huawei

The latest software version 1.0.2.28 (10.62MB in size) now brings this feature to the rest of the world. The update has started making its rounds and has been spotted in the US, Germany and the Philippines. Other countries will likely follow soon.

Having said this, there is one important caveat. Owners of Watch GT 2 will still not be able to make payments on the go. For now the feature is limited to the usage of Huawei’s OneHop app. This is a service that allows users to customize the watch face from a Huawei phone. It works with NFC to transfer files in one go. It seems the OneHop functionality is the main reason NFC was enabled. But this is a step in the right direction and it’s just a matter of time before other NFC functionality is unleashed.

The software update also improves the sensitivity of the raise to wake feature, the accuracy of heart rate monitoring during workouts, it adds additional sound settings, a quick pairing facility for FreeBuds 3 and squashes various bugs. So its definitely worth installing even if you are not interested in using NFC.

View Huawei Watch GT 2 on Amazon.

Source: TechRadar

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Ivan Jovin

Ivan has been a tech journalist for over 7 years now, covering all kinds of technology issues. He is the guy who gets to dive deep into the latest wearable tech news.

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