Xiaomi will launch a smartwatch on November 5. However, Xiaomi seems unwilling to shake its reputation for making products that resemble those made by Apple, as the watch bears a distinct similarity to the Apple Watch. The oblong body and the crown on the upper right-hand side instantly recall Apple’s top-selling wearable, along with the option of a dark gray or a silver color.
It’s not an exact copy though. In other images, the Xiaomi watch has a boxier, more sharply angled design, which makes it look much more like the traditional image of a smartwatch. There is another button below the crown — just like on the Apple Watch, and the glass over the screen has a curved edge for better tactility and improved aesthetics. The strap is confusing, as it appears to be built into the body itself, and may not end up being replaceable.
What do we know about the technical specifications? One teaser image shows the Xiaomi Watch will have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 3100 processor, just like some of the latest Fossil smartwatches, while another shows a mystery slot on the left-hand side of the watch’s case. This is not a SIM card slot, as another image shows the watch will use an eSIM for cellular connectivity. It’s also shown that the watch will have built in Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and NFC.
The software Xiaomi will use for the watch is not known. We’re used to seeing smartphones from Xiaomi with Android and its own MIUI interface installed, but this doesn’t mean the Xiaomi Watch will have WearOS installed. Xiaomi, like Huawei, may opt to use a custom operating system on the watch, at least for any model released in China. Whether Xiaomi decides to launch the watch internationally is also not known.
It faces considerable competition if it does, with a wealth of new smartwatches from Fossil and its designer brand partners including Diesel and Kate Spade, plus the Apple Watch Series 5, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Active 2, and even another Apple Watch look-alike, the Amazfit GTS. The watch does not have a final name yet, but the teasers come directly from Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun on his Weibo account, through Xiaomi brand partner Mijia, and several other sources, too. The November 5 launch date may coincide with new Xiaomi smartphones as well.
