Like many other prominent electronics manufacturers, OnePlus has slowly diversified its portfolio. Aside from their staple smartphones, the Chinese tech giant now manufactures wireless headphones and more recently smart TVs. The company is reportedly planning to add a fitness band to their collection next. However, this is not the first time that rumors of OnePlus working on a wearable device has been doing the rounds of the internet. Back in 2016, the company conceived the idea but shelved it indefinitely soon after as the primary goal was manufacturing smartphones. OnePlus considers 2020 the ideal time to revive the project.
OnePlus may launch its first wearable device alongside the OnePlus 8, which might release in the second quarter of 2020. Not much is known about the device at the moment. While the source claims that it could be a fitness band, but some reports suggest that there could be a smartwatch.
According to the old sketches from 2016, the device is likely to sport a round dial with customizable straps. It could run on the Android WearOS platform. Although it is difficult to speculate on the features, OnePlus is unlikely to bring anything new to the table. Xiaomi has carved a niche out for itself with its range of affordable wearable solutions. There is no reason OnePlus would not want to replicate Xiaomi’s success.
OnePlus is among the leading smartphone manufacturers in emerging markets including India. Back in 2016, the strategy was to focus on establishing the brand, and OnePlus has done quite well for itself. The company can finally focus on creating an ecosystem around its existing range of products, a strategy that Apple has mastered over the years. There is a dearth of affordable options in the wearable Android market, and OnePlus should do pretty well considering its excellent track record in the affordable premium smartphone category.
It has been over three years since the sketches became public. It is entirely possible that OnePlus has designed an entirely new product for 2020. The upcoming device might also run on an Android-based platform, like a wearable version of OxygenOS. After all, Google’s WearOS is not the best in class, and no one would blame OnePlus for offering its own software on its wearable device.
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