Oppo’s first Wear OS smartwatch makes global debut
Oppo Watch went on sale in China in late March but it is only now that it has received a global release. The timepiece comes with Wear OS instead of the Android-based operating system with which it launched in its home country.
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The company has already made a name for itself in the smartphone market. But this year it has expanded its product lineup with something you strap to your wrist.
Like so many other tech giants of today, Oppo has not been around for very long. Its brand name was registered in 2001 and it started operation three years later. They’ve steadily grown over the years, and since mid-2016 Oppo holds the position as the biggest smartphone manufacturer in China.
The company’s first smartwatch made its global debut today. Oppo Watch comes in two different sizes, a 41mm and a 46mm. The first has a 1.9 inch, the second a 1.6 inch curved, AMOLED touch screen with with a dual-curved display and 6000-series aluminum alloy frame. Both have a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut.
It’s clear this is an Apple Watch-like device. But there are a few design differences. The clear distinction is that the Oppo Watch does not have a crown. Instead, it has two long buttons on the right, one of which has a LED indicator in the middle. A microphone hole can be found between them.
What makes the global version different from the Chinese one released in March is that it comes with Wear OS installed. This means it benefits from Google Fit, Google Pay, the Google Assistant and a wide choice of apps on the Play Store.
Here are the full specs:
As can be seen from above, the usual fitness sensors are there, including heart rate and built-in GPS. More interestingly, the watch comes with an ECG (electrocardiogram) sensor although this is yet to be enabled. Furthermore, the 46mm variant comes with the option of adding eSIM LTE that works with Vodafone/Orange/Celcom.
The company is known for a slew of low cost devices. Couple that with a feature-rich smartwatch with a super charging ability, and they might be sitting on a winner. With the saturation of the smartphone market, developing smartwatches and headphones seems to be the direction OPPO has chosen in the near future.
In the UK, you can buy the 41mm Oppo Watch in black, pink, gold, or silver for £229 from September 3. The 46mm iteration will be available in black or gold priced at £369. You can check the price for other countries on the same link.
Those in the US are out of luck as Oppo states that there are “no plans” for a launch in that country. However, an Oppo Watch certification with the Federal Communications Authority (FCC) in June gives hope that this could happen.
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