Leaked OnePlus smartwatch could be Wear OS' first real Apple Watch competitor

(Image credit: Amazfit)

published 19 February 2021

We already knew a OnePlus Watch is in development, now, for the first time, we've got an idea of what the smartwatch will look like thanks to a recent patent filing, or should I say, the smartwatches, because the patent filing shows two design variants.

This isn't the first time we've heard about two different versions of the OnePlus smartwatch, but it is the most official leak we've seen so far.

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The patent was filed with the German Patent and Trademark Office, and discovered by TechnikNews, and reveals two OnePlus Watches with the same body, but two different straps.

Taking inspiration from the Apple Watch, the OnePlus watch patent reveals that the straps will be made out of stitched leather (or a leather substitute) and a silicone/rubber strap.

Of course, this hints that you'll be able to dress it up, for everyday or evening wear, or dress it down, for comfort and for use while exercising.

The patents show that the sporty strap has a simple, Apple Watch Sport Band-like pin-and-hole locking mechanism, while the leather band has a more traditional deployant clasp.

The patent does reveal you can swap out the bands easily, just as you can with almost every other smartwatch.

The question remains, though, whether there will be two different hardware versions of the OnePlus Watch, similar to the Apple Watch, which uses different materials to reach different price points.

The patent does clearly show a circular design, however, so we know that OnePlus won't be following the rectangular trend.

We also know that the smartwatch will come running Google's Wear OS, after Pete Lau, OnePlus' CEO, hinted at the two companies worked together to improve the wearable operating system late last year.

For more details, such as specs and a full design, we will have to wait until the smartwatch is officially announced.

When could that be? Well, Lau has previously indicated that it would be launched in 'early 2021', so we could expect to see the smartwatch launched alongside the OnePlus 9 in March.

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As the Style and Travel Editor at T3, Spencer covers everything from clothes to cars and watches to hotels. Everything that's cool, stylish, and interesting, basically. He's been a part of T3 for over seven years, and in that time covered every industry event known to man, from CES and MWC to the Geneva Motorshow and Baselworld. When he's driving up and down the country in search of the greatest driving roads, he can be found messing around on an electric scooter, playing with luxury watches, or testing the latest fragrances.

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