OnePlus Watch 3 is expected to debut in the United States on February 25, but the Chinese company under the OnePlus brand is already preparing its next smartwatch. After being in the spotlight for some unfortunate blunders, OnePlus has acknowledged some of the concern fans have had about Watch 3 and promised to try and address them in a future product.
One of the few user requests that OnePlus hasn’t been able to fulfill with the launch of the Watch 3 is a smaller, lighter model. The company’s latest smartwatch comes in just one size – 46 mm and weighs 80g with the strap included (50g without strap). That puts it above the Galaxy Watch Ultra, but way below the Pixel Watch 3.
Thankfully, in an interview with Wearable, Dr. Leo Zhang, the Head of R&D at the OnePlus Health Lab, confirmed the company is already working on a smaller smartwatch. According to Zhang, the 46 mm model “remains heavy for a small wrist,” something that “typically affects women, but we will fix that this year.”
OnePlus Watch 3 is still heavier than many other smartwatches its competing with | Image credit: OnePlus
If what Zhang says happens, then we might be looking at two different OnePlus Watch 3R models coming out later this year. All in all, more choices when it comes to size and weight can only be beneficial for customers.
Another concern raised by OnePlus fans is that the Watch 3 is lacking LTE support, at least in countries outside of China. But the company is determined to address this issue as well, at least according to Zhang. The official rep said in the same interview that fixing this problem is much easier than releasing a smaller smartwatch.
The only thing that prevented OnePlus from launching an LTE-enabled Watch 3 outside China is its relationship with carriers. Zhang said that “in overseas markets, we need to work with carrier – and that’s a big hurdle. We need to work with carriers so users can put in an eSIM and have a data plan.”
OnePlus Watch 3 doesn't feature ECG capabilities in the US, but they will be added in Q2 | Image credit: OnePlus
Zhang went on to say that they’re already working on adding LTE by contacting carriers, “especially in Europe,” which isn’t really a surprise considering how reluctant US carriers are to any company other than Apple or Samsung.
Last but not least, OnePlus made a manufacturing mistake, as a typo slipped through and made its way onto the Watch 3. We’ve already reported about the hilarious “oopsie,” but OnePlus recently announced that it’s going to fix that for customers.
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If you’re one of the many OnePlus fans who already received their Watch 3 and the standard “Made in China” text has been replaced with a “Meda in China” text, then you have two options:
You can keep it and sell it much later as an oddity.
Return it and get your money back.
And yes, OnePlus plans to refresh the stock with new Watch 3 units that don’t have the “Meda in China” typo engraved on its backplate, so you can just wait for those.
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Cosmin, a tech journalist with a career spanning over a decade, brings a wealth of experience to PhoneArena. His expertise lies in brands like Samsung and Nokia, and he has a keen interest in innovative technologies. After a brief stint in PR, Cosmin returned to tech journalism in 2016, committed to delivering clear and objective news. When he's not writing or appearing as a guest on TV and radio shows, Cosmin enjoys playing RPGs, watching Netflix, and nurturing his passion for history and travel.
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