Xiaomi is set to launch a Wear OS smartwatch in 2023 as it plans a return to Google’s ecosystem.
The last Xiaomi smartwatch to run Wear OS was the Mi Watch in 2019 when it ran a skinned version of Google’s operating system. And that was notable, as it was the first to really adapt and customize Wear OS – arguably paving the way for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 in 2021.
But the Mi Watch was short-lived and the Wear OS version didn’t even get a global release.
The following Xiaomi smartwatches used the MIUI Watch OS, a custom OS based on Android.
There are no further details on the specifics of the new Xiaomi Wear OS device, and the report on 9to5Google is attributed to anonymous sources.
Since 2019, Wear OS has improved dramatically.
Google launched an improved Wear OS 3, with the platform redesigned in conjunction with Samsung, which ditched its own Tizen operating system and returned to Google.
With the increase in market share thanks to Samsung, Google has bolstered its selection of apps and encouraged developers to support the platform.
So it’s no surprise that Xiaomi is planning to switch to Wear OS; especially since the company hasn’t conquered the smartwatch market like it did with the Mi Band fitness tracker.
It is also a double-edged sword. The biggest strength of Xiaomi’s mid-range smartwatches is that they offer two weeks of battery life. And with Wear OS, we’d expect a few days at most.
It could potentially run better on its flagship devices, where the beefed-up Wear OS could power apps and features like mobile payments – which are currently lacking.
After all, the $200 smartwatch market with good battery life but a weak set of smart features is pretty crowded now, with Huawei, Xiaomi, Amazfit, Honor and Oppo all doing much the same.
And the likes of Redmi, Realme and Poco are also hitting from the bottom.
In our opinion, the smart choice would be for Xiaomi to offer a Wear OS 3 watch at a reasonable price and carve out a new niche for itself.
. Why Xiaomi launches some some new smartwatch Wear is logic
