Smartwatch

A first leak of Xiaomi Mi Band 6-related specifications has offered up a goldmine of information about the upcoming budget fitness tracker – apart from its release date and probable price. However, Xiaomi’s habits with previous Mi Band launches and the state of the wearables market offer up some useful clues for predictions.

A report out of South Korea has claimed that both Apple and Samsung are preparing to include a blood glucose monitor in their upcoming 2021 smartwatch releases. This means that an Apple Watch 7, Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, or Galaxy Watch Active 3 could end up being fitted with a vital, and non-invasive, sensor for checking glucose levels.

The Redmi Watch - or Mi Watch Lite for global markets - has been spotted on the BIS regulatory documentation, hinting that it will launch in India soon. It is slated to be the Redmi-branded version as it has been registered under that name. By any name, it has a 1.4-inch square face, 5ATM water resistance and up to 9 hours of battery life.

The first details of the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 have been posted online, and it seems likely there will be a global variant called the Mi Smart Band 6. The upcoming activity tracker has all the features that the Mi Band 5 offers but with additional utilities, such as SpO2 tracking (blood oxygen level measurement) and Alexa support. The Mi Band 6 may have a larger display too.

Huawei has trademarked the name 'Nova Watch' in China. Undoubtedly, this suggests that the Chinese company plans to release at least one smartwatch as part of a new series soon. Huawei reserves Nova for its mid-range smartphones, so it may have a new midrange smartwatch in the offing.

The OnePlus Watch is coming to India, according to a new regulatory certification posted by a well-known tipster. It has been presumed that this wearable would have a round face; however, the new registration specifies 2 variants with different model numbers. Therefore, a square-faced option from OnePlus might be back on the cards.

Realme's first-ever smartwatch was an Apple Watch clone, whereas its second had a round face and a Pro variant. A new FCC registration reveals the OEM has gone back to a square face for its next wearable. It has an on-trend blood oxygen monitor, as well as "dynamic" heart-rate tracking and IP68 ingress-protection.

Huawei has updated the Watch GT 2 Pro once again, this time with general system stability improvements. The update follows the release of the New Year Edition that Huawei announced last week. There is a New Year Edition of the Watch Fit, too.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 has a new firmware update that brings part of the OEM's virtual group-workout initiative to the wearable. It also now supports SmartThings Find, which might help an owner recover a missing unit, as well as Samsung's hand-washing app.

Can smartwatches help to diagnose cases of Covid-19? According to a couple of new studies, they can. The research applies to the Apple Watch and other wearables associated with heart-rate monitoring, as they might record the variations in this metric that might indicate the presence of the virus, even in asymptomatic patients.

Amazfit has teased another member of the growing GTR 2 and GTS 2 family in the form of the upcoming Amazfit GTR 2 LTE. This latest addition will bring the total of smartwatches in this range to six SKUs. Fortunately, Amazfit has published a handy graphic to help shoppers choose from the diverse range of “fitness for all” smartwatches.

The Amazfit GTR 2e and Amazfit GTS 2e smartwatches from Huami have now officially become available to customers in North America. Both watches are priced at US$139.99, with the main differences between them being design and battery life. The Amazfit GTR 2e and Amazfit GTS 2e come with a data sensor for blood-oxygen saturation measurement.

A new app called OnePlus Health has reportedly appeared on the Google Play Store. It has ostensibly been developed to accompany the new fitness band and smartwatch coming soon from this brand. Tech bloggers claiming to have torn its APK down have posted faces and UI snippets for either device.

An owner of a Xiaomi Mi Band 5 fitness tracker has taken to Reddit to report about the gadget exploding while it was being charged. Apparently, it was the global version of the Mi Band 5 wearable and was not a copy or mishandled in any way. Issues likes this have been frequently reported in regard to smartphones, such as the notorious Samsung Galaxy Note 7 episode.

OnePlus has started officially teasing its upcoming fitness tracker that will feature useful tools such as SpO2 blood saturation monitoring and real-time heart-rate tracker. The alleged OnePlus Band price in India and its launch date have also been leaked along with some key specifications. The OnePlus Band is expected to cost around ₹2,499 (US$34).

The OnePlus Band is seemingly in the works and should soon be ready to challenge the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 in the budget wearable sector. Rumors state that the OnePlus Band will be unleashed with a sub-US$40 price tag and may be launched in the Indian market first, where the Xiaomi Mi Band series has dominated affordable fitness tracker sales.

Some users with brand-new affordable Apple Watch and HomePod variants have encountered difficulty in their set-up or configuration while trying to connect them to their personal or home systems. This is thought (somewhat understandably) to a seasonal overload of the OEM's servers, although the timing is still a bit unfortunate.

OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has confirmed that the company is almost ready to announce its first smartwatch. The putatively called OnePlus Watch will be released in early 2021.

The Amazfit Bip U Pro fitness smartwatch is now available to customers in the US at a price of US$69.99 with free shipping. Buyers of the wearable from Huami will get to enjoy built-in GPS, Amazon Alexa assistance, and over 60 sports modes. The Amazfit Bip U Pro also offers blood-oxygen level measurement and heart-rate monitoring.

The Realme Watch S Pro is almost upon us, but CEO Madhav Sheth has found time to publish several teasers of the upcoming smartwatch. The Realme Watch S Pro will have an AMOLED screen, up to 14 days of battery life, GPS and a heart rate monitor, among other features.

The Amazfit GTS 2 Mini fitness smartwatch from Huami is now officially available to shoppers in the US. The wearable, which comes with a heart-rate monitor, PAI health assessment system, and SpO2 level measurement, is priced at US$99.99 with free shipping. The Amazfit GTS 2 Mini weighs just 19.5 g (0.69 oz).

Huami's latest smartwatches are 'e' versions of the Watch GTS 2 and Watch GTR 2, respectively. The new models are cheaper, but they have better battery life. Huami has not skrimped on other areas either, with the Watch GTS 2e and Watch GTR 2e both featuring AMOLED displays and SpO2 sensors.

Realme has started revealing some of the details about its upcoming Watch S Pro device, including the launch date for the high-end wearable. The Realme Watch S Pro comes with a blood oxygen and heart-rate monitor, built-in dual-satellite GPS, and it can offer up to 14 days of battery life. Realme’s first premium smartwatch will be launched on December 23.

Some recent leaks have pointed to a first-gen smartwatch from OnePlus, for which the OEM might develop a proprietary UI. However, a new interview with this company's CEO indicates that it will use Google's WearOS - then again, it may be heavily modified so as to fit in with its device ecosystem.

Apple has started distributing watchOS 7.2 to Apple Watch Series smartwatches. The latest version of watchOS introduces Apple's smartwatches to Fitness+, although this is not available globally. Thankfully, there is another exciting new feature as of watchOS 7.2 that is available everywhere.

A couple of Apple Watch-related patents could give an indication of the direction Apple is taking in regard to a potential Apple Watch Series 7 device. One of the patents details a Touch ID button for the smartwatch while the other reveals an under-display camera solution that would make an Apple Watch 7 ideal for quick FaceTime video calls.

Xiaomi has released a new firmware update for the Mi Band 5 activity tracker. The software has been pushed out to deal with problems with the accuracy of the sleep-tracking function, with a few other minor additions such as extra language support included. It’s likely the update will eventually make it to the international Mi Smart Band 5 variant.

Realme is gearing up to release a new smartwatch into its wearable lineup in the form of the Realme Watch S Pro. The device has already been leaked via the FCC and now Realme India and Europe CEO Madhav Sheth has been continuously teasing the Watch S Pro ahead of its imminent launch. Built-in GPS and a large AMOLED should feature.

Xiaomi has introduced the Mi Watch Lite with little to no fanfare. The new smartwatch has a square display, up to 9 days of battery life, a 230 mAh battery and GPS support, among other features. The Mi Watch Lite currently retails in China for CNY 299 (~US$45).

Huawei has released new software updates for two of its most popular smartwatches, the Watch GT 2 Pro and Honor MagicWatch 2. Each update adds a few interesting new features, such as workout upgrades and a quick dial that contains shortcuts for favourite features.

The Galaxy S21 series is currently touted to launch soon. Their launch is now said to mean the end of support for some older smartwatches or fitness bands from the same OEM, however. They may still work with older phones, though, just not those released after 2020.

The Xiaomi Redmi Watch is already available to order from third-party retailers. Currently, AliExpress offers the best deal on the smartwatch, where it sells for US$59.99. The Redmi Watch is available in three colours from the retailer, all of which have the same 1.4-inch display and IP certification, among other features.

Wristcam has announced its eponymous band for the Apple Watch. True to its name, the Wristcam band adds not just one, but two cameras to the embedded in an Apple Watch-compatible band.

The Wear OS H-MR2 update is now receiving a wider rollout, rolling its release on the Suunto 7 in September. H-MR2 continues to be based on Android 9.0 Pie, but it promises improved battery life and better performance among other changes. You may need to check manually for the update on your smartwatch, though.

The TicWatch Pro 3 4G/LTE is a 2020 dual-display smartwatch with standalone cellular connectivity. It is now on sale in Europe, although it is only usable through 1 carrier in the UK, Spain and Germany thus far. It is available on Amazon in these countries from now.

The Amazfit Pop Pro offers almost an unbelievable amount of smartwatch for about US$60. Despite its relatively low price, the Pop Pro has a GPS module, a SpO2 sensor, 5 ATM waterproofing, NFC and up to nine days of battery life.

The Amazfit GTS 2 mini builds on the GTS 2, albeit by being a cheaper and smaller alternative to Huami's recent smartwatch. The feature set has been shrunk compared to the Amazfit GTS 2, as has the size of the display and watch body.

Huami only unveiled the Zepp Z in the middle of November, but it turns out that there is a second version of it. The second model includes an ECG monitor and an NFC module, which were both missing from the Zepp Z that Huami announced internationally.

Huami plans to bring the Amazfit Bip U Pro to Europe, and for only about €70. The Bip U Pro has a 1.43-inch display, a SpO2 sensor and GPS, among other features.

Cubot has unveiled the C3, its latest smartwatch. Not only does the C3 have a rugged design, but it has a unique dual crown system. The Cubot C3 has a 1.3-inch display and is 5 ATM water-resistant, too.

Huawei has heavily discounted the Watch GT 2e, just over seven month after it launched the smartwatch in April. The Watch GT 2e can now be purchased for under £100, a saving of over £60. The offer is available on multiple colours and comes with two Huawei Mini Speakers if bought from Huawei directly.

The Amazfit Pop Pro will join the Amazfit GTS 2 mini in being released tomorrow. The former will have a 1.43-inch display and many of the features that one would expect from a contemporary smartwatch. The design of the Amazfit GTS 2 mini has apparently been leaked, too.

ZTE has launched the Watch Live in its native China. This new wearable is of the Apple Watch-clone variety, although it sells for much less than its clear inspiration. Its maker claims that it packs 24-hour heart-rate tracking, blood-oxygen sensing, sleep-tracking and up to 21 hours of battery life in its square casing.

Apple is running a gift card giveaway Black Friday through Cyber Monday. Qualifying purchases will see the buyer rewarded with a card worth from US$25/£20/€25 up to US$150/£120/€150. The deal includes many major Apple products such as the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE, the iPad Pro, Beats headphones, and even the premium MacBook Pro 16.

Xiaomi has certified the Redmi Watch and Mi Watch Lite with the Bluetooth SIG. Correspondingly, the two devices should receive global releases, albeit probably in different markets. Xiaomi unveiled the Redmi Watch in China yesterday.

Huami has begun teasing the Amazfit GTS 2 mini, its next smartwatch. The Amazfit GTS 2 mini will arrive on December 1 and will probably resemble the popular Amazfit GTS with a rectangular display.

Xiaomi has seeded a new Beta Stable update for the Redmi 9, and it brings with it quite a few changes for the device. Not only does it upgrade the global version of the handset to the November 2020 security patch, but it upgrades it to MIUI 12. V12.0.1.0.QJCMIXM is available to download now as an OTA or as a recovery ROM.