Smartwatch

Rumors of a first-gen "Apple Watch Pro" to be released alongside more conventional Series 8 variants have intensified to such a degree that the new model is now expected to launch alongside the iPhone 14 series in early September. Now, the Cupertino giant is thought to unveil a whole new range of bands alongside the new kind of wearable, as it will not fit those of, say, the Series 7, as usual.

Apple is "well into development" with its upcoming MacBook Pro 14 and MacBook Pro 16. These laptops will be powered by the M2 Pro and M2 Max SoCs and are on track for a fall release if things go according to plan. Apple is also expected to introduce the Watch Pro with a satellite function similar to what is speculated with the iPhone 14.

Zepp Health is the fitness-tech ODM responsible for the popular Amazfit brand, and that also makes fitness trackers for Xiaomi. The company has reported that its second-quarter 2022 (2Q2022) revenues increased by 46.4% compared to 1Q2022 - however, they also shrank by 39.6% compared to 2Q2021. This decline was linked to a disruption in its normal product cycle due to the chip shortage, as well as prevailing socio-political upheaval.

The Hotwav C1 smartwatch is currently selling for the discounted price of US$26.99 at TOMTOP. The company claims the gadget has SpO2, heart rate and blood pressure monitors, and other health tracking features. Plus, the wearable is expected to last up to 10 days on a single charge.

According got new reports, Fitbit is laying the groundwork to release a successor to last year's Charge 5 fitness tracker. Dubbed the Charge 6 at this stage, the next-generation fitness tracker may have stopped by the FCC in the US with plenty of connectivity options.

The first signs of the DIZO Watch R Talk have appeared online. Leaked by 91mobiles, the DIZO Watch R Talk is slated for release next month with an AMOLED display and a GPS module, among other features.

You can now download Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro watch faces on the Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic. Rolling out in a new Galaxy Wearable app update, the watch faces range from the sparse 'Digital Neon' to the colourful 'Flower garden'.

Samsung has rolled out new firmware updates for three of its older smartwatches. All based on Tizen, the trio have not received any new features, let alone the option of moving onto One UI Watch. Instead, Samsung has updated the Galaxy Watch 3, Galaxy Watch and Gear S3 to resolve a GPS issue that could cause location stability issues.

The Mobvoi TicWatch GTH 2 smartwatch has launched in China for 399 yuan (~US$58). Health features of the device include SpO2, body temperature and heart rate monitors. You can also use the watch to take Bluetooth calls or remotely control your smartphone's camera. Plus, Mobvoi claims the watch can last up to 10 days on a single charge.

The MK37 smartwatch is now available via Banggood and shipping worldwide. The company claims the wearable has a thermometer to measure your skin temperature, accurate to within 0.5°C. You can also use the watch to make or receive Bluetooth calls and track your health with a reported heart rate monitor.

Fitbit has announced the Sense 2 and Versa 4, its latest flagship smartwatches and replacements for the Sense and Versa 3. Still running Fitbit OS, the Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4 both feature design updates compared to their predecessors, as well as new features.

Fitbit has released its next-generation Inspire fitness tracker, now on its third generation. The Fitbit Inspire 3 contains several significant upgrades from its predecessor, including a colour OLED display with always-on display (AoD) functionality. The Fitbit Inspire 3 is orderable now in multiple markets and with several watch strap types.

The Vwar DT3 Mate smartwatch is now available globally via AliExpress. You can connect the watch to various iOS and Android smartphones, enabling you to take Bluetooth calls on the device. Built-in GPS helps track your movement, and NFC allows you to make payments via Alipay or unlock smart doors.

Garmin has started distributing the final version of a comprehensive update for Epix 2, Fenix 7, Forerunner 945 and Instinct 2 series smartwatches. Dubbed the August 2022 update, the software will add many features to eligible smartwatches and cycling computers, including SatIQ and heart rate variability (HRV) status.

The NoiseFit Core 2 smartwatch has been launched in India with a 55% discount. The wearable has health features, including SpO2 and heart rate monitors, sleep health tracking and over 50 sports modes to log your exercise. The company claims the device can fully charge in two hours, providing up to nine days of life with regular use.

The Q26 Pro smartwatch has arrived at Banggood. The company suggests that the watch has body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate monitors, alongside other health tracking features. The lighter watch weighs 38 g (~1.34 oz) and can last for around seven days on a single charge with regular use.

PKvitality, the company behind the development of the K’Watch Glucose blood sugar monitor, has published the results of a recent clinical trial. The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) smartwatch produced a high accuracy level. In addition, the design of the K’Watch Glucose has been finalized and the firm has updated its launch timeframe schedule.

Garmin may have not officially presented the Venu Sq 2 yet, but the company briefly listed the smartwatch on its website. Confirmed to be arriving with a corresponding Music variant, the Venu Sq 2 has a squircle AMOLED display and a refined design, among other changes.

The Fitbit Inspire 3 has leaked again before its official launch. Specifically, Amazon Canada listed the fitness tracker early, seemingly confirming specifications, its price tag and its release date.

According to new rumours, Huawei is about the officially present the Watch GT 4, the successor to the near-year-old Watch GT 3 series. Allegedly billed for a September or October introduction, the Watch GT 4 could arrive alongside the Mate 50 series.

The WS29 smartwatch is available globally via AliExpress, with a 1.32-in (~33.5 mm) touchscreen. You can make NFC payments with the wearable and connect to your smartphone for Bluetooth calling. Other gadget features include a heart rate monitor, music playback and an AI voice assistant.

The Ruijie smartwatch is currently available globally with a discount via AliExpress. The company claims the wearable has health features such as blood glucose, ECG and blood pressure monitors. The gadget has a 1.39-in (35 mm) display and reported battery life of up to seven days with typical use.

The Indian smartwatch market is now reported to have grown by an unprecedented 312% in the second quarter of 2022 (2Q2022) compared to 2Q2021. Local brands continued to dominate the space, with Fire-Boltt in particular increasing its share of the market by nearly 20% to shoot into first place in the quarter. Then again, Dizo was able to maintain its position, while Apple nearly doubled its growth thanks to the Watch Series 7.

Wear OS has a history of lacking features a user might need or want in their smartwatch, one of which is the level of difficulty involved in pairing one to a new mobile device without a complete wipe of user data and settings. Now, however, a new code leak hints that a wearable running a future version of Google's UI will become able to back its profile up to a first-party cloud soon.

Garmin has released the first beta build for the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 255S, which is also available for their corresponding Music variants. Rolling out as Beta version 12.20, the Release Candidate build contains several new features, improvements and bug fixes.

Garmin has started rolling out Beta version 12.20 to the Forerunner 955 and Forerunner 955 Solar. Bundled with numerous changes, Garmin has added support for seven new features and has included several bug fixes. Beta version 12.20 is the first update for the Forerunner 955 series on Garmin's Beta Program.

Fitbit has started distributing new security-related updates for several of its fitness trackers and smartwatches. Fitbit advises all owners to update their devices to eliminate security vulnerabilities.

Garmin continues to roll out beta updates for Fenix 6, Enduro, Tactix and MARQ series smartwatches at a breakneck speed. While Beta version 22.85 is only a few days old, the company has issued Beta version 23.00 with even more changes.

A major retailer has revealed the Suunto 9 Peak Pro ahead of schedule. Listed for its rumoured €449 price tag, the Suunto 9 Peak Pro will provide significantly better battery life than the Suunto 9 Peak, among other changes.

Samsung advertises the Galaxy Watch5 series as featuring a new fast charging feature. Theoretically, the Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro should recharge 0-45% in just 30 minutes. However, an independent test has shown that this is unachievable in practice. Instead, new owners of either smartwatch should expect to wait a lot longer for either smartwatch to reach 45% charge, let alone full charge.

Samsung advertises the Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro as being particularly slim, even more so than the Apple Watch Series 7. However, it turns out that Samsung's marketing is way off, as are other companies. The Galaxy Watch5 Pro is a special case though, with Samsung underestimating its actual thickness by over 40%.

It is only a matter of time before the Apple Watch can measure blood sugar levels, the sensors for which are already in development. Currently, this feature requires external sensors, unlike on competing smartwatches. Still, a CNET editor claims that the Apple Watch continues to offer life-saving benefits.

Garmin has released Beta version 9.32 for Epix 2, Fenix 7 and Quatix 7 series smartwatches. While the update contains only a few changes, it follows shortly after Beta version 9.31, which bundles more changes and adds the new Enduro 2 to the Public Beta program,

An extensive leak has revealed the Suunto 9 Peak Pro, a more advanced version of the Suunto 9 Peak. While Suunto will sell the Suunto 9 Peak Pro as a premium smartwatch, it is rumoured to cost less than the Suunto 9 Peak. The Suunto 9 Peak Pro should feature longer battery life than its non-Pro model though, among other changes.

The latest Samsung Galaxy Watches have been official for 4 days by now (August 14, 2022) worldwide; however, the OEM never announced how much they would cost prospective Indian customers. Now, however, these details per SKU for this market is now out there, according to a famous leaker, at least.

Xiaomi has unveiled the Watch S1 Pro, the 'Pro' model to the popular Watch S1. Equipped with a larger display, the Watch S1 Pro also has a more power-efficient chipset that should provide better battery life compared to the Watch S1.

TAG Heuer's latest smartwatch offering is in truth a new edition of the Connected Calibre E4, launched in partnership with Porsche. It entails an extensive cosmetic re-design intended to provide a matching accessory for those who own EVs such as the Taycan. It also has a custom watchface that allows the user to keep track of both possessions at the same time.

The Sacosding smartwatch is available globally via AliExpress for US$50. The wearable is similar in appearance to the Apple Watch, with a 1.74-in rectangular AMOLED display. According to the product listing, features of the gadget include heart rate and blood pressure monitors, Bluetooth calling functionality and NFC unlocking.

The Gainbang K37 smartwatch, an outdoor sports watch, is available globally via AliExpress. The company claims that the device has up to 40 days of battery life plus SpO2 and heart rate monitors. The gadget has a waterproof casing, allowing you to wear it while swimming, with the ability to track various sports and exercises.

Oppo has introduced the Watch 3 Pro, a competitor to the Galaxy Watch5 Pro that has arrived only a few hours after Samsung presented its latest smartwatch. Equipped with a 1.91-inch AMOLED display, the Oppo Watch 3 Pro also has an LTPO backplane to minimise power consumption, along with power-efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 and Apollo 4 Plus chipsets.

Oppo has revealed the Watch 3, the cheaper option in the new Watch 3 series. Equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 and Apollo 4 Plus chipsets, the Oppo Watch 3 should provide up to 4 days of battery life from its 400 mAh battery. The Oppo Watch has a large AMOLED display too, among other features.

Today, Oppo introduced the successor to the Oppo Band, an affordable and versatile fitness tracker. Replacing it is the Oppo Band 2, a larger model with an AMOLED display and an NFC module, among other features. The Oppo Band 2 retains its predecessor's inexpensive price tag, too.

Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro at the company's Unpacked Event today. Both the Galaxy Watch5 and Watch5 Pro essentially share a common feature set and sport improved sensors, increased battery life, and sapphire crystal glass protection. The Watch5 Pro also comes with the ability to be used as an outdoors watch with enhanced GPS-based turn-by-turn and track-back navigation.

Garmin has unveiled a successor to its Enduro smartwatch series. Sold as the Enduro 2, the smartwatch has a large display and all the features that endurance athletes could need. Available for US$1,099.99, the Enduro 2 is already orderable in multiple markets, not just the US.

Garmin has released Beta Version 22.83 for Fēnix 6 and MARQ smartwatches on the Beta Program. The new software includes various bug fixes, for flaws such as UI issues and detection problems. A fault which occasionally prevented the wearables from syncing via Wi-Fi has also been remedied.

OPPO has casually set the major design upgrade to be found in its latest smartwatch in stone via its new Chinese online store page, in an official leak that also confirms its zero-day color options. Interested fans can book their place in line to pre-order the new wearable, although it will not launch in full until tomorrow (August 10, 2022).

Xiaomi has confirmed the launch of the Watch S1 Pro, a more advanced version of the Watch S1 that the company already sells. Due for release later this week, the Watch S1 Pro will be a premium smartwatch with a few upgrades over the Watch S1, including what appears to be a digital crown. The Watch S1 Pro should launch in at least three versions too.