The new ‘The Batman’ (2021) trailer has been trending and at the risk of sounding like Harvey Dent in the Dark Knight, we’ll say that the OPPO Watch might be the hero Wear OS needs. Apple’s Watch OS ecosystem has widened the lead over Google over the last few years. Even though we’ve seen bright sparks from Samsung, Fitbit and Garmin in the wearable space, there have been few recent flagbearers for Google’s Wear OS apart from Fossil and Mobvoi’s TicWatch Pro that we checked out for Man’s World. That’s not the only reason why we’re excited about the OPPO Watch.
If there’s one thing you will notice even from a mile, it’s the striking similarity between the OPPO watch and the ubiquitous Apple Watch. This similarity in form extends to the placement of the buttons on the right spine, the ceramic rear and even the silicon band (OPPO calls this Flourorubber). But it’s certainly not a bad thing. The OPPO watch is one of the best looking smartwatches out there and it’s probably the display to beat. The 46mm version that we checked out isn’t just marginally larger than the larger Apple Watch 44 mm but at 1.91-inches, it also boasts of a slightly larger display with thinner bezels. Its also very vibrant – 402 x 476 pixels, with great visibility in all conditions. The silicon band bundled in the box feels premium too and is comfortable to wear for a whole day. You can’t swap straps with standard watch straps (just like the Apple watch); this one is designed for OPPO’s custom straps.
OPPO’s Color OS has got better on its smartphones over the last year or so but it still hasn’t completely won me over. It’s a different story on the OPPO Watch, where this layer adds to the aesthetic and the watch faces are quite pleasing on the eye too. The watch pairs effortlessly – I paired it with a Samsung Android device. You can also pair it with an iPhone but Wear OS plays out best on Android. Just like any smartwatch, there are two key experiences – fitness and other apps. The OPPO Watch scores on the fitness front just like most other smartwatches above Rs 10,000. Google Fit is quite comprehensive and then there’s OPPO’s list of custom workouts that cover key basics like runs, cycling and swimming routines. The watch also offers Sleep tracking and tracks your calorie burns.
Google’s Wear OS is still some distance behind Apple’s Watch OS in terms of capabilities and the whole app ecosystem and yet it offers quite a few experiences that you can enjoy right off your wrist. This includes Google Maps, Messenger and also Spotify with a few limitations. You can also add custom watch faces. The OPPO watch is one of the few squarish Wear OS watches – most of them opt for a circular display, and yet there are quite a few watch face options available.
The OPPO Watch also features OPPO’s proprietary VOOC fast charging. It can go from 0 to 46% in just 15 minutes – handy on those days when you have to rush out for a quick morning run and forgot to charge the watch on the previous night. Battery life is average; you should manage about one and a half to two days with normal usage but there’s also a battery saver mode that is quite functional. The OPPO Watch scores with its brilliant display, build quality and delivers a decent smartwatch experience at a compelling price point. It’s probably the best Wear OS smartwatch you can buy now.
The OPPO Watch costs Rs 19,990 for the 46 mm version
