The OnePlus Watch 3 was announced all the way back in February, and we reported on it at the time. OnePlus has some of the best smartphone and smartphone-adjacent tech in the business, and the OnePlus Watch 3 did not disappoint in that regard. The only problem was a funny “Meda in China” typo on the watch that led to a postponement.
Well, that has all been sorted out, and now, finally, interested buyers can get the OnePlus Watch 3 again, without an embarrassing typo on the other side. The only problem is that instead of the $329.99 price tag advertised at launch, it is now significantly more expensive, and the new tariff war is certainly to blame for that.
The OnePlus Watch 3 Might Be the First Notable Victim of Trump’s Tariff Policies
When the OnePlus Watch 3 launched back in February, it got a notable amount of buzz and a bunch of pre-orders. Eventually, the first batch of watches found its way into the hands of consumers, but embarrassingly, a major typo on the back of the watches somehow escaped several tiers of production and made it to shelves. The phones were produced in China, but the underside declared that they were “Meda” in China instead.
Despite being a minor aesthetic error, OnePlus halted pre-orders and gave users who had already received the watch a chance to return them for free. Since then, OnePlus must have done what it could to fix the issue, likely on the watches that had already been fabricated, and finally just opened orders again.
Here’s where the problem is, though. The OnePlus Watch 3 was announced with a $329.99 launch price back in February, and that’s what people pre-ordered it for back then. However, now that it is back on shelves, it costs $499.99. That’s not a small price hike. In fact, that’s 51% more than it cost before, and that makes it a vastly less compelling product.
OnePlus hasn’t made an official statement regarding this, but without any context from the company itself, there’s only one obvious explanation: tariffs. The US and Chinese governments are currently throwing tariffs at each other, and as of now, tariffs on Chinese imports have exceeded 100%. In fact, they’re currently at 145% to be exact, starting April 12th, and at such a high rate, trade from China to the US will likely grind to a halt.
In Stark Contrast, The OnePlus Watch 3 Is on Sale in the UK
Almost humiliatingly for US buyers who really wanted the OnePlus Watch 3, the exact same device has not only stayed solid in its pricing in the UK, but it is actually on sale at the moment, meaning that consumers in the UK are essentially getting a deal that almost mocks the plight of those in the US.
From a £319 launch price, the OnePlus Watch 3 is going for £269 in the UK. You’ll also get free OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro (worth £79) for as long as stocks last. Although you might want to run your numbers first, at this point, it could potentially be a smarter decision to buy it from the UK and have it sent over as opposed to buying it directly in the US.
