Smartwatch

Withings has released an update for its ScanWatch. Version 2421 includes several new features, such as a workout mode and an activity reminder. Withings is also rolling out more widely its 10:10 hands feature, which makes it easier for you to see the digital screen on the watch.

New rumours claim that the Pixel 6a and Pixel Watch could both make appearances at Google I/O 2022 in May. Unfortunately, we may only be treated to a fleeting visit from the Pixel Watch, while it could take the Pixel 6a another two months before it begins shipping.

Garmin is taking more steps to reduce the costs of OLED displays in its smartwatches. Purportedly, the company's patented technology could so make its OLED displays more efficient than the ones in the Venu 2 Plus.

Huawei has started rolling out the first update for the global version of the Watch GT Runner. Issued as HarmonyOS 2.1.0.219, the update introduces a new feature to the 1.43-inch smartwatch and squashes a few software bugs.

The Apple Watch Series 3 is allegedly heading for its product cycle end-of-life according to a well-known analyst. The third-generation smartwatch has served Apple well since its release in 2017 but is expected to be discontinued when the Apple Watch Series 8 and watchOS 9 become fully available.

OnePlus is expected to launch the OnePlus Nord Smartwatch later this year. It is slated to cost around INR 8,000 (US$105) and will be unveiled alongside the OnePlus Nord 3. A pair of Nord-branded TWS earbuds are also en route.

The Apple Watch has no ports, rendering it impossible to force it into a hardware recovery mode. Thankfully, Apple has finally addressed this shortcoming of Apple Watches with watchOS 8.5, which is available to download on the Watch Series 3 through Watch Series 7.

Wear OS 3 is still not ready for existing smartwatches, but more screenshots of the upcoming OS have emerged. Google's next smartwatch OS will launch with a next-generation Google Assistant, among other changes from Wear OS 2.

Huawei has released an update for its GT 2 Pro smartwatch. The latest firmware brings two new features to the device, including a self-diagnosis tool to detect and suggest solutions for hardware issues.

Visionox has reportedly introduced its latest display development as a "world-first", as it is a type of AMOLED designed to reduce power consumption through attaining ultra-low refresh rates, but does not rely on typically high-end LTPO technology to do so. This new display panel type could thus allow the smartwatches of the future to feature always-on displays at a lower cost.

Google has announced the dates of this year's I/O Developer Conference, which returns to the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. Google I/O 2022 will start with a live broadcast, which Google has used to present new products in previous years.

Zepp Health, the owner of the increasingly popular fitness-tracking wearables brand Amazfit, has now released its fourth-quarter (4Q2021) and full-year earnings report for 2021. It claims revenues of nearly 6.3 billion yuan (or about US$985 million) for this year, about 27% of which came from 4Q2021. Despite these impressive figures, however, the company has seen the impact of global events over the last ~12 months.

Dexcom has now officially announced the securing of the CE Mark (Conformité Européenne) for its Dexcom G7 continuous glucose monitor (CGM). The mark is required for distribution and sale in Europe, with the Dexcom G7 launch likely to occur within the next few weeks. Along with its many new features is a projected direct Apple Watch compatibility.

Apple has unveiled watchOS 8.5, an OS update available to the Watch Series 3 through Watch Series 7. Rolling out now, watchOS 8.5 is over a 500 MB download for all eligible smartwatches.

Xiaomi has released the Watch S1 series outside China. Only available as a 46.5 mm smartwatch, the Watch S1 and Watch S1 Active have a large AMOLED display, over 100 fitness modes and dual-band GPS, among other features. The Watch S1 series starts at €179 and supports Mastercard payments via NFC.

DC Rainmaker has found a hidden ECG function in a Garmin Venu 2 smartwatch. Garmin has not acknowledged the tool's existence, and it removed the feature in a recent update.

Xiaomi has set a date for launching the Watch S1 Active globally. In the meantime, Amazon has already begun accepting pre-orders, confirming its price and when it will ship in the process.

The possible design of the Mi Band 7 may have leaked in what could be a major redesign of the Mi Band series. Meanwhile, Xiaomi has certified the Mi Band 7 in Belgium and Indonesia, signifying a global launch for the upcoming fitness tracker.

A software update is being rolled out for Huawei's GT 2 and GT 2e smartwatches. The update includes several new features for the gadgets, including tools to monitor your health and to help you to optimize your workouts.

Rockley Photonics has partnered with Medtronic, a medical device company. Rockley and Medtronic will collaborate in bringing the Bioptx biomarker sensing platform to market, which takes the form of a wrist-based device. The Bioptx biomarker sensing platform can measure core body temperature, hydration levels and blood pressure non-invasively, among other capabilities.

Realme has launched the TechLife Watch S100 alongside its new 9 5G and 5G SE smartphones today (March 10, 2022). It appears to be a new version of an existing smartwatch from this OEM, with a potentially crucial upgrade in the form of a user body-temperature tracker. Its estimated battery life is also improved over its apparent predecessor.

Redmi has announced the Note 11 Pro+ and the Note 11 Pro in India. Both models sport fairly similar specifications save for the SoC and camera setup. The Redmi Note 11 Pro+ features the Snapdragon 695 SoC while the Redmi Note 11 is based on the MediaTek Helio G96. Both phones also feature a 108 MP Samsung HM2 primary sensor. Redmi also launched the Watch 2 Lite smartwatch with heart rate, SpO2, and sleep monitoring.

Rumors reported by ETNews suggest that the Galaxy Watch5 will have a built-in thermometer. The company claims that Samsung has developed new technology to resolve issues with existing temperature sensing tools.

The upcoming Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has been leaked in full, including its product feature list, rendering set, and price tag for the European market. While much of this information has already been leaked online, the somewhat high price for the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active is apparently now confirmed.

Ergon has announced the ElegaBand, a watch band designed to allow you to wear your favourite smartwatch on more places than just your wrist. The ElegaBand will be compatible with the Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch or Garmin smartwatches and will start at US$99.

Zeblaze has unveiled the Stratos 2 smartwatch, which features an AMOLED display and a SpO2 monitor. The device also comes with integrated GPS that you can use for up to 40 hours between charges.

Google has received approval for a patent for skin interface technology. The filing suggests that Google might use this tool to control earbuds and smartwatches through tap and swipe gestures on the skin near the gadgets.

Reportedly, Google has had to delay the Pixel 6, originally believed to be launching in May. Unfortunately, the same could prove the case for the Pixel Watch, likely the launch device for Wear OS 3, Google's long-awaited smartwatch OS that it unveiled in May 2021.

The Mi Band 7 is around the corner, but it will be compatible with Zepp OS, not Xiaomi's smartwatch platform. It appears that Xiaomi has equipped the next Mi Band with a larger display too, among other changes.

Garmin has unveiled the Descent G1 and Descent G1 Solar aimed at divers. However, the pair should work just as well as regular smartwatches thanks to their support for Garmin's suite of exercise modes, its Connect IQ Store and Garmin Pay. The Garmin Descent G1 series starts at US$549.99 and is available in four colours.

Some renders of the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active emerged online. The fitness-centric smartwatch has differently shaped hardware buttons and will be sold in three colours Black, White and Blue. It is expected to cost around €200 and launch alongside the Xiaomi 12 series.

Samsung has released bug fixes to the Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic. Apparently, last month's major firmware update for the pair caused a few problems, despite being aimed at introduced new features to Samsung's first One UI Watch smartwatches.

Mobvoi has revealed the TicWatch Pro 3 Sports Version, a Wear OS-based smartwatch that features 4G and GPS connectivity. The new smartwatch also supports over 100 exercise modes, along with numerous sensors for tracking your health and wellbeing.

Fitbit has announced a recall of the Ionic, a smartwatch that it launched over four years ago. Supposedly, the Fitbit Ionic has a habit of going up in flames because of an overheated battery. There have been at least 174 reports of the issue occurring globally, of which 118 caused burn injuries. Fitbit is recalling all units, which amounts to nearly 1.7 million sold between September 2017 and December 2021.

Mobvoi has unveiled the TicWatch GTH Pro, a US$99.99 smartwatch that can determine the age of your arteries, among other features. The TicWatch GTH Pro is orderable now in North America and offers up to 10 days of battery life.

Honor has finally released the Watch GS 3 outside its home market. To be available in the Eurozone for €229, the Watch GS 3 features a dual-band GPS module, over 100 workout modes, SpO2 monitoring and a particularly accurate heart rate monitor. The Honor Watch GS 3 will be available in Classic Gold, Ocean Blue and Midnight Black colourways.

A new TicWatch has been teased by Mobvoi on Twitter, suggesting it will have new cardiovascular health monitoring technology. Previous leaks from XDA Developers provide information on precisely what functionality might be included in the gadget.

Samsung has brought a few new features to the Galaxy Fit 2, one of its older smartwatches. R220XXU1AVB8 is available to download now as an over-the-air (OTA) update and breathes more life into the ageing device.

The Glacier Lake Blue Edition is the latest version of the Watch 2, a smartwatch that Oppo sells in two sizes. The Oppo Watch 2 Glacier Lake Blue Edition joins the Oppo Watch Free, which also launched this week. The new Oppo Watch 2 features a few improvements over the standard model, including the ability to track your ski runs.

Garmin has filed a patent for a new solar charging OLED display in the US. This technology could mean that consumers no longer need to choose between the high-quality display and ‘never ending’ battery life available through solar energy.

Oppo has finally released the Watch Free outside China. Introduced last September in its home market, the Watch Free features a large AMOLED display and plenty of health tracking features. The Oppo Watch will be available in Europe and the UK from late March.

A non-invasive continuous glucose monitor wearable from Movano Inc. has taken an important step on its development path by finishing a second approved pilot study. Testing involved people with type 1 diabetes comparing results from finger-stick methods and existing CGMs with those produced by the Movano prototype wearable.

All Wear OS smartwatches continue to rely on old SoCs, except for the Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch4 Classic. However, an extensive leak has revealed details about the Wear 5100 and Wear 5100+, two upcoming Snapdragon smartwatch platforms.

OPPO's latest Find X5 poster contains a launch date for the upcoming flagship series, and that's not all. It shows one of the smartphones in an arrangement of a number of other devices. One might be the OEM's first-gen tablet, whereas the others are wearables that could be of the OPPO Watch and Enco X lines.

The Oppo Watch 2 now supports several new features, courtesy of a ColorOS update. Currently restricted to the Chinese version of the smartwatch, the update enables an always-on display, ColorOS 12-style app icons and a calendar app, among other changes.

The Xiaomi Watch S1 has leaked on Amazon Germany before its European release. Surprisingly, the leather model could arrive for less than €200, contrary to previous rumours. The Watch S1 will be available with a sportier look, too.

Reportedly, Xiaomi will be releasing the Watch S1 in Europe soon. Allegedly, the Watch S1 will launch for between €200 and €260, depending on the watch strap chosen. The Watch S1 has plenty of features, but those prices put the Watch S1 into Galaxy Watch4 territory.

TAG Heuer has presented a new generation in its Connected Watch series. The Connected Calibre E4 arrives with a Snapdragon Wear 4100+ chipset and Wear OS 2, not Wear OS 3. TAG Heuer will upgrade its latest smartwatches to Wear OS 3 'when the update becomes available' though.