Xiaomi unveiled a brand-new smartwatch this week at MWC (Mobile World Congress): the Watch S1 Pro. As typical with smartwatches from eastern manufacturers, the S1 Pro is running on a specialized OS — MIUI Watch OS in this particular case.
While smartwatches running on proprietary software can have loads of benefits, such as impressively lengthy battery life, having Wear OS on your watch is a totally different league. It opens up the way for much more interfunctionality and customization, which is certainly what a specific demographic is looking for in a modern smartwatch.
Some of the best smartwatches we know of run on Wear OS though, like the Galaxy Watch 5 or the Fossil Gen 6. Sure, battery life is nowhere near the week-or-so that Huawei and Xiaomi watches can promise, but in terms of utility, there is no match.
The Xiaomi Watch S1 Pro looks really impressive in terms of build quality.
But hold up, it is time to come clean: MIUI Watch OS is already based on Android. It’s just that when a company decides to abandon the Wear OS moniker and do things a bit more in its own way, it basically loses its shot at Wear OS exclusive features. Not to mention the tons of custom watchfaces on offer through third-party apps!
The entire rumor was started by an anonymous source, which 9to5 Google reported on. The publication is confident in the leak though, defining it as “confirmed”, even though details are scarce. The only bits of info are that this new Xiaomi smartwatch will run on Wear OS 3 and that it may become available by the end of the year.
Who knows? This might be the missing link that boosts Xiaomi smartwatches into a prosperous run. We’re eager to see what the Mi company will be able to do with Wear OS — if this alleged info turns out to be true — and we hope to see it on our next rendition of top smartwatches to go for.
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Stan, also known as Stako, is a smartphone enthusiast who loves exploring the limits of Android customization. His journey with mobile tech began with the Nokia 5110 and evolved with devices like the BlackBerry 9350 Curve and Samsung Galaxy A4. Despite his love for Android, he holds equal respect for Apple, considering the iPhone 4s as a significant milestone in mobile tech. Stan started his writing career early, contributing to MetalWorld, and harbors a passion for creative writing. Beyond smartphones, he's interested in photography, design, composition, and gaming, often preferring solo projects to hone his objective thinking. He's also an avid student of open-source technology and consoles, with a special fondness for the Pebble Watch, Arduboy, and Playdate.
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