Although an exact date hasn’t been confirmed, many are speculating that OnePlus will soon announce its latest smartwatch: the OnePlus Watch 3.
Considering we gave the OnePlus Watch 2, a solid four-star rating, we have high hopes for the OnePlus Watch 3, especially when it comes to health tracking features.
We’ve scoured the internet for OnePlus Watch 3 rumors and collated them into one handy guide. We have also given our two cents on what features we’d like to see the smartwatch have, as well as the expected release date.
OnePlus Watch 3 at a glance
- There may be two variants released in 2025: Watch 3 and Watch 3 Pro
- Bigger battery expected than last year’s
- New health features found in the OHealth app expected to launch with the Watch 3
OnePlus Watch 3 release date and price
Considering the OnePlus Watch 2 launched at the end of February 2024, we would expect the OnePlus Watch 3 to launch at a similar time in February 2025. That said, the OnePlus Watch launched slightly later in March 2021, so the OnePlus Watch 3 could very well follow suit in March.
Either way, this means that SmartPrix’s predictions could be correct as it has previously reported that we’ll see the launch in Q1 of 2025.
At the time of writing, we don’t have enough solid information regarding pricing so all we can go on is that the OnePlus Watch had an RRP of £149/$159 while the OnePlus Watch 2 started at a pricier £299/$299, and it’s likely that the new model will be closer to the second-gen than the original in price.
OnePlus Watch 3 design rumors
- OnePlus Watch 3 should retain its predecessor’s always-on display
- FCC filing showed just one size option, which is smaller than the OnePlus Watch 2
- New rotary dial for navigation
A major flaw in the original OnePlus Watch was its lack of always-on display upon its launch, which we hailed as one of the wearable’s biggest disappointments. After many complaints from consumers, OnePlus rectified this issue and included an always-on display with the Watch 2. With this in mind, although it hasn’t been officially confirmed, we’d be really surprised if the OnePlus Watch 3 didn’t at least come with an always-on mode option.
As per its FCC listing and reported by 91 Mobiles, the OnePlus Watch 3 has just one listed size at 46.6 x 47.6 x 11.75 mm, which is slightly smaller than the OnePlus Watch 2. At the time of writing, it isn’t clear whether this is the only size option that will be available for the Watch or if this is just the first listing.
According to SmartPrix, its sources say the rotary dial is reminiscent of the Digital Crown on Apple Watches and will “offer a more intuitive way to navigate the UI, providing a tactile experience that complements the touchscreen.”
OnePlus Watch 3 performance and software rumors
- Larger battery than OnePlus Watch 2
- Snapdragon W5 chip plus WearOS and RTOS expected
- Many more health and fitness tracking features
Not only does the OnePlus Watch 2 sport two chips (Snapdragon W5 and a BES2700) but it also uses two operating systems (RTOS and WearOS) which offers a healthy mix of access to Google apps alongside a solid battery life.
According to Android Authority, the OnePlus Watch 3 is set to retain the two operating systems of RTOS and WearOS, however it only mentions Snapdragon W5 and not the BES2700.
Looking back at the FCC listing, as reported by 91 Mobiles, the OnePlus Watch 3 may sport a 648mAh battery capacity which is a huge increase over the OnePlus Watch 2’s 500mAh.
While the OnePlus Watch 2’s battery may appear uninspiring at first, thanks to WearOS and RTOS, it offers a solid performance with up to four days of life in smartwatch mode and two days when always-on is enabled. With this in mind, if the Watch 3 retains its predecessor’s dual-OS, its larger battery should result in even better battery life.
Finally, Android Authority dug into the OHealth app and uncovered a huge array of new features that will “likely land on the OnePlus Watch 3”. This includes ECG support, which means the watch could detect conditions like Afib or irregular heart rates, a Wrist Temperature function which can give you insights into your overall health and the new 60-second Checkup tool.
The checkup tool, according to Android Authority’s screenshots, scans for three major health risks, including heart health, blood vessel elasticity and sleep snoring by using seven health indicators such as ECG measurements, sleep quality and more.
The OHealth app will also see a new Health tab which should show long-term insights, plus important workout and health events for the day.
Trusted Take: What we think the OnePlus Watch 3 needs
The OnePlus Watch 2 was a fantastic tale of redemption from the brand, and righted most of the wrongs of the OnePlus Watch. With this in mind, we’d like to see the OnePlus Watch 3 retain those improvements, such as the always-on display.
Most importantly however, the OnePlus Watch 3 needs to see more health and fitness tracking features. While the OnePlus Watch 2 has “aspects of fitness and sport tracking that work fine” we found that it lacked some of the tools we’d see in a dedicated sports watch.
We are also intrigued by the speculation of a larger battery, especially as we were already impressed by the OnePlus Watch 2’s smaller capacity. What would be even better is if the OnePlus Watch 3 boasted a solar option for constant charging, akin to the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar, which helps eliminate any battery fear.
Whether or not it has the potential to become one of the best smartwatches out there, though, remains to be seen.
