Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The $200 Oxy Smartwatch plays well with its Android, iOS, and Windows friends

To make a smartwatch that plays nice with both Android and iOS is still rather uncommon in today’s age of wearables. To make a smartwatch that plays nice with Android, iOS, and Windows, however, is downright rare. That’s where Oxy, a U.K.-based outfit, comes in with its Oxy Smartwatch, which is indeed that rare exception.

To be specific, the Oxy will connect to phones running Android 4.3 or higher, iOS 8 or higher, and Windows 10 through Bluetooth 4.1. Even though BlackBerry is left in the dust, the fact that the Oxy plays nice with the three biggest dogs in the mobile operating system landscape is still something to be applauded.

Recommended Videos

Also somewhat veering off the beaten path is the Oxy’s software. Because it plays nice with three operating systems, it’s no surprise that Oxy equipped its watch with Elf OS, a proprietary operating system based on Android 5.1 Lollipop which bears a striking resemblance to Android Wear. Even though it will be updated to Android 6.0 Marshmallow by next June, the biggest story is Oxy’s decision to make Elf OS open source. In other words, by publishing Elf OS’ source code in the BitBucket repository, developers can tinker with the operating system as much as they please, which could lead to anything from enhanced app development to custom versions of Elf OS.

The third and final big trick is the Oxy’s availability in two shapes. Unlike, for example, the Moto 360 (2015) and the ZenWatch 2, which come in two sizes, the Oxy comes in two shapes – round and square — as well as two colors — black and silver. Giving potential customers a shape choice instead of size is a unique and interesting decision, though it’s also one that could turn off those with smaller wrists.

Elsewhere, we find the dual-core 1.2GHz Ingenics M200 processor with 1GB of RAM at the heart of the Oxy, as well as 8GB of internal storage. Both versions of the Oxy pack AMOLED displays, though the square Oxy’s is a boxy 1.63-inch, 320×320 resolution display. Meanwhile, the circular Oxy packs a 1.39-inch, 400×400 display.

You also have your standard array of sensors and wireless connections, including WiFi, though the Oxy also includes a speaker. In addition, its IP67 water-resistance certification ensures that you can wash dishes and not worry about the Oxy. Finally, Oxy makes note that its smartwatch’s functions universally require a maximum of three finger swipes, meaning you should get things done relatively quickly.

If you’re intrigued by what the Oxy has to offer, it’s currently up on Indiegogo for $200 for 50 super early birds. 150 early birds can get the Oxy for $240, while those who miss out on both tiers can get the smartwatch for $250. You can also put down at least $250 to pick up the Oxy Pro, which includes either Oxy shape, along with three watchbands.

Williams Pelegrin
Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…
Android is prepping notification summaries. Let’s hope it’s better than iOS
Android notification summaries concept.

So far, Google has done an admirable job of putting generative AI tools on Android smartphones. Earlier today, it announced further refinements to how users interact with Gemini AI assistant and extended a few freebies, too. Now, Google seems to be chasing an AI tool that has worked poorly on iPhones.
The folks over at AndroidAuthority took a peek at the code of Android 13’s latest beta update and found the mention of“notification summaries.” To enable this feature, users will have to flick a dedicated toggle under the Notifications dashboard of the Settings app.

A thoughtful approach for Android
Thankfully, users will be able to disable notifications for apps that they don’t want to see summarized notifications. An analysis of the strings suggests that the feature will only summarize notifications that host conversational content, such as messages, and no other app alerts.
This is a thoughtful strategy, and will likely avoid the mess that came from summarized notifications within the Apple Intelligence bundle. Notification summaries are a useful way to catch up on the chatter in a buzzy group, like friends or workplace chats.

Read more
Google Maps’ new feature sees Android play catchup to iOS
Samsung Galaxy S24 in Marble Gray showing Google Maps.

Android users are getting their first glimpse of a new operating system feature while using Google Maps, as the app is the first to make use of the Live Updates ability that was added for Android 16. The feature will give users updated information in their status bar so they can keep track of ongoing activity such as following directions using maps.

Similar to Apple's Live Activities system, the Android function can potentially be used by a range of apps but has first been seen in Google Maps. "Live Updates are a new class of notifications that help users monitor and quickly access important ongoing activities," Android developers explained in a post highlighting the feature when it was first announced.

Read more
The next iOS 18 update is on its way. Here’s what we know
The iPhone 16 sitting on top of orange mums.

When iOS 18.2 released just over a week ago, it unlocked a lot of long-awaited features like Image Playground, Visual Intelligence, and improvements to writing tools. Now, it seems like another update could be just around the corner: version 18.2.1.

MacRumors found evidence of the update in their analytic logs, a source that has supposedly revealed quite a few iOS versions before release. Given that this is a minor update, it isn't likely to come with new features or anything groundbreaking. Instead, it will most likely be targeted at bug fixes, although no specific problems have been named. You should expect this update to drop either in late December or early January, but a year-end release is more likely.

Read more