Wear OS may finally have its own Apple Watch-beater, thanks to Oppo

Oppo Watch 2 models with different colored bands
(Image credit: Oppo)

Oppo will reportedly release the Oppo Watch 5 and Oppo Watch 5 Pro later this year, a pair of Wear OS watches that, like their predecessors, look set to bear a strong resemblance to the Apple Watch with a curved square display. The Oppo Watch 5 and 5 Pro series, according to leaks, will have almost double the Apple Watch Series 8’s battery capacity, enhancing its ability to use features like sleep tracking.

The best Apple Watch models do suffer from a short battery life, although not as drastically as Apple would have you believe. Apple Watch Series 8, for example, taxes its 308 mAh battery pretty heavily, only getting around 18 hours of juice from a full charge judging by Apple’s estimations. However, in our Watch 8 review, we said "In our initial testing, the Watch 8 battery can hold on for 38 hours on a single full charge - far in excess of Apple’s 18-hours prediction." The Google Pixel Watch can't match that, with only 24-26 hours of real use.

According to leaker Digital Chat Station via Gizmochina, the Oppo Watch 5, codenamed “Comet”, will have a 570mAh battery. Even the previous model, the Oppo Watch 3 (it’s reported Oppo will be skipping the “4” moniker as the number is considered unlucky in Asian countries) got more than a day and a half even on heavy use and up to 14 days on battery-saver mode, with a 400 mAh battery. 

The Oppo Watch 3 Pro featured a 550 mAh battery, which means the 5 Pro could end up with double the battery capacity of the Apple Watch Series 8. Together with the similar-looking curved display, Wear OS users (who also have the new, improved Wear OS 4 coming later this year) might have an Apple Watch clone that can not just contend with, but far exceed its Apple rival. 

Apple Watch Series 8 models with different faces

The Apple Watch 8 could be outmatched when it comes to battery life, but it's not just about longevity. (Image credit: Apple)

 Analysis: It’ll take more than battery 

It’ll certainly be nice to have a Wear OS 4-capable watch with more than a day or two’s battery life with heavy use, but it’s not just the design of the screen or how long the watch lasts that captures a watch user’s imaginations. 

The Google Pixel Watch and Apple Watch seamlessly integrate into their respective networks, look cool, and are crafted with care. The algorithms for their fitness and wellness data are especially impressive, with Pixel Watch using the last decade’s worth of learnings from Fitbit, and Apple harnessing all the might of Apple Health and Apple Fitness+. 

We’re not sure if Oppo can offer a comprehensive and aesthetically pleasing user experience quite like Apple and Google can, but its Android phones are excellent (I personally have been using an Oppo Find X2 Pro for years) and the new Oppo Watch 5 series will surely run the latest version of Wear OS when it lands. 

It might be a real contender over some of the best smartwatches for a) users who want a true Wear OS experience, and b) for people who love the look of the Apple Watch, but don’t want to switch from Android. Watch this space for further official announcements. 

TOPICS
Matt Evans
Fitness, Wellness, and Wearables Editor

Matt is TechRadar's expert on all things fitness, wellness and wearable tech. A former staffer at Men's Health, he holds a Master's Degree in journalism from Cardiff and has written for brands like Runner's World, Women's Health, Men's Fitness, LiveScience and Fit&Well on everything fitness tech, exercise, nutrition and mental wellbeing.

Matt's a keen runner, ex-kickboxer, not averse to the odd yoga flow, and insists everyone should stretch every morning. When he’s not training or writing about health and fitness, he can be found reading doorstop-thick fantasy books with lots of fictional maps in them.

Read more
OnePlus Watch 3 on wrist with rotating digital crown
Exclusive: OnePlus Watch 3 revealed, with an Apple Watch-style rotating digital crown and Galaxy Watch-beating battery life
OnePlus Watch 2 screen
OnePlus Watch 3 could eclipse the Apple Watch Ultra 3 with the ‘holy grail’ of smartwatch health tech
Honor Watch 5 Ultra
Honor's new Android smartwatch has a 1.5-inch AMOLED display, 15 days of battery life, and works with iPhone and Android
Oppo Watch Mini X2 teaser
Oppo Watch X2 Mini teaser could be our first glimpse of the smaller OnePlus Watch 3
Two OnePlus Watch 2s on a pink background
A OnePlus Watch 3 Pro launch may be imminent – and it could be feature-packed
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
5 things the Apple Watch Ultra 3 should steal from the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Latest in Smartwatches
Oppo Watch Mini X2 teaser
Oppo Watch X2 Mini teaser could be our first glimpse of the smaller OnePlus Watch 3
Google Pixel Watch 3
Google Pixel Watch 3's Loss of Pulse Detection could save your life – here's how the company created it
Apple Watch foldable display patent
Forget the folding iPhone – Apple has patented a foldable Apple Watch with two screens
Apple Watch Ultra 2
7 hidden features on your Apple Watch you should start using right now
Core Time 2 + iPhone 15 blue
'They're stopping our watches from being awesome.' Pebble founder takes the fight to the Apple over its walled ecosystem
Polar Vantage M3 smartwatch worn on wrist
Polar's entire sports watch lineup just got a major upgrade, and it'll make your training more effective than ever
Latest in News
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses
Samsung's rumored smart specs may be launching before the end of 2025
Apple iPhone 16 Review
The latest iPhone 18 leak hints at a major chipset upgrade for all four models
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, March 24 (game #1155)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, March 24 (game #386)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, March 24 (game #652)
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 23 (game #1154)