We now know when we’ll likely see the OnePlus Watch 2, at least if rumors from well-known leaker and writer Max Jambor are to be believed.
According to a post on X (formerly Twitter), the OnePlus Watch 2 will be launched at Mobile World Congress in late February, and it will also come with a massive upgrade the first OnePlus Watch lacked: Wear OS.
OnePlus Watch 2 is launching at Mobile World Congress! Looking forward to the next WearOS Watch!
— Max Jambor (@MaxJmb) January 19, 2024
The first OnePlus Watch was a lackluster attempt in many ways, but one of the biggest missteps was OnePlus’s decision to use its own operating system instead of Google’s Wear OS. While Wear OS has its problems, it’s a strong platform to build onto, already coming with support for Google’s services and app store.
OnePlus’s OS, by not building on top of what already existed, had to start from scratch — plunging the smartwatch into the early days of wearables, where apps were a luxury and “user-friendly” was just a pipe dream. If Jambor’s statement is to be believed, OnePlus has learned its lesson this time around and will show off a much-improved smartwatch at MWC in late February.
It’s the first we’ve heard of a new OnePlus smartwatch in some time, with the last rumors coming in November of last year. According to those leaks, the OnePlus Watch 2 will further establish its own visual flair and distinctive design, with a flattened right edge that calls back to Casio’s G-Shock watches, along with a round dial.
Those same rumors also pointed towards the watch using the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 processor, making the second watch a rather more powerful wearable than the first OnePlus Watch. Also mentioned was a 1.43-inch OLED display, though keep in mind that all of those leaks were supposedly based on a prototype in testing, so take all details with a pinch of salt.
We don’t have long to find out how truthful these leaks are, though, as Mobile World Congress isn’t too far now. MWC 2024 is due to take place in Barcelona, as ever, and will run from February 26 until February 29.
