New renders and fresh reports suggest that the impending OnePlus Watch 2 will run Wear OS 4 and feature a completely redesigned case.
The upcoming smartwatch will follow the disappointing OnePlus Watch released back in 2021 (which we gave 2.5/5 stars), though this latest deluge of information points towards plenty of changes.
Renders shared by the ever-reliable @OnLeaks - in conjunction with MySmartPrice - have revealed that the case design for the supposed OnePlus Watch 2 has been transformed from the original.
OnLeaks/MySmartPrice
It's now expected to feature a protruding edge on the watch's right side, with two buttons placed neatly around the new architecture.
Squirrel_12994161
We expect these two pushers to perform similarly to before, though the fact they no longer sit flush to the case does help the watch stand out a bit from its rivals.
The watch's display is also set to expand to 1.43 inches, suggests the leaks, and, though there's no word on the actual case size or options, the second-gen model is also set to feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chip.
This isn't quite as powerful as the W5+ chip found in premium devices like the Google Pixel Watch 2, though this could be an effort from OnePlus to keep the price of its next watch in the budget-mid-level tier.
OnLeaks/MySmartPrice
Amid all that excitement, it appears that major software changes are coming, too.
As revealed by a separate leaker, Max Jambor, the OnePlus Watch 2 will ditch the company's proprietary OS and instead run Google's Wear OS 4 right out of the box.
This would give the smartwatch access to the wide array of third-party apps and services now available on Wear OS, with the move resembling Xiaomi's recent switch through the Watch 2 Pro.
It's not yet clear whether the OnePlus device will, like Xiaomi, feature a heavy skin of Google's software, but there's also a strong chance we won't have to wait too long to find out.
The OnePlus Watch 2, if recent rumors are to be believed, is expected to be launched alongside the OnePlus 12 in January - and may even be revealed fully in China before the end of the year.
Let's just hope OnePlus can right some of the wrongs of that debut generation with all these potential changes.
How we test
Conor moved to Wareable Media Group in 2017, initially covering all the latest developments in smartwatches, fitness trackers, and VR. He made a name for himself writing about trying out translation earbuds on a first date and cycling with a wearable airbag, as well as covering the industry’s latest releases.
Following a stint as Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint, Conor returned to Wareable Media Group in 2022 as Editor-at-Large. Conor has become a wearables expert, and helps people get more from their wearable tech, via Wareable's considerable how-to-based guides.
He has also contributed to British GQ, Wired, Metro, The Independent, and The Mirror.