Here’s our first look at OnePlus’ next Apple Watch killer

OnePlus’ first attempt at making a smartwatch was largely a mere effort, even if it looked extremely sleek. Of course, the biggest flaw was the software. It was essentially a bare-bones software based on a very basic real-time operating system (RTOS) foundation.

Simply put, it was not an app-savvy operating system and was a far cry from the deep functional goodies like Google’s Wear OS and Apple’s watchOS. The second effort, which just surfaced online, may atone for those sins.

Leaker OnLeaks (via MySmartPrice) has shared alleged renders of the second-generation OnePlus Watch. Rather than copy what Samsung and Fossil have done with their smartwatches, OnePlus is pursuing an original design that features a round dial and a flattened right edge reminiscent of Casio’s G-Shock series of watches.

The metal arms extend a bit beyond the main frame compared to what we’ve seen on Samsung’s recent Galaxy watches. This is a subjective aesthetic deviation, but on the surface, it seems like the weapon strap could provide a more secure grip on attachments.

But the most interesting elements of the latest leak are the changes to the chip inside and the software it may bring to the fore. OnePlus will reportedly go for the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chip, a wearable platform that is a familiar name in the Wear OS sector.

The leaked report obviously doesn’t go into details of the OnePlus-ified Wear OS experience on the smartwatch, but the Qualcomm chip is a bit more powerful for the RTOS, so there’s that. ‘ own smartwatch fan, Prakhar Khanna, says the flagship wearable’s chip isn’t fitted with an RTOS and tells me Wear OS is almost certainly on the horizon.

The adoption of Wear OS not only relieves OnePlus of the hassle of managing a completely custom software experience on its own – it also adds a whole dimension of convenience for users. The biggest and most notable benefit will be the availability of apps and seamless cross-device linking with Android phones.

Before we dive deep into the tentative specifications sheet, keep in mind that these renders are based on “actual images of a prototype in the testing phase.” However, brands often test multiple versions of the same product that don’t always look the same.

The leaker is predicting a 1.43-inch OLED display on the OnePlus Watch 2. Below the screen is what appears to be an integrated biosensing module, similar to that seen on Samsung’s recent smartwatches like the Galaxy Watch 6.

Unfortunately, that’s all the leaks say about the OnePlus Watch 2’s internal hardware or health-focused features. The second-generation OnePlus smartwatch is rumored to hit the market next year, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see it break cover with the upcoming OnePlus 12 flagship smartphone.