- The OnePlus Watch 3 was recently unveiled and then delayed by two months
- OnePlus has since confirmed that the new wearable will only receive two years of software support
- The company also confirmed that Wear OS 5 support for the OnePlus Watch 2 is coming in Q3
The OnePlus Watch 3 will only get two years of software support from launch, the company has confirmed – and the news for OnePlus Watch 2 owners isn’t much better.
The OnePlus Watch 3 was billed as one of the most exciting smartwatch launches of this year, and a contender for best Android smartwatch thanks to its excellent battery life.
However, the launch was stymied somewhat by an unfortunate ‘Meda in China’ typo that has seen the release delayed by a full two months. Amongst the hubbub of the bungled launch, the company has now announced two very disappointing pieces of software news concerning the future of its smartwatch line.
As reported by our friends at Android Central, OnePlus says the Watch 3 will only get two OS updates, and two years of bi-monthly security updates. As for OnePlus Watch 2 owners patiently waiting for Wear OS 5, that’s coming in Q3, fully one year after leading Android models like the Pixel Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch 7 get the update.
OnePlus Watch 3’s disappointing software revelation
As an Apple Watch veteran, I’m constantly bewildered by the rather fragmented and lacking approach to software on Android smartwatches, and even the best Garmins.
To begin with the latter announcement, OnePlus has essentially confirmed that OnePlus Watch 2 owners will get Wear OS 5 fully one year after it launched on leading models from Samsung and Galaxy. Just to rub it in, Wear OS 6 will likely debut in the meantime.
Perhaps more concerning, the new OnePlus Watch 3 has a confirmed software support cycle of just two years. As Android Central notes, that’s a year shy of OnePlus’ previous three-year commitment to the OnePlus Watch 2, a lifespan I’d already posit is pretty disappointing for a smartwatch.
The only upside is that, given the OnePlus Watch 3’s delay, most people likely haven’t bought one yet and so can reconsider their purchase. Both Samsung and Google offer better support in terms of software lifespan, ensuring that their smartwatches last longer and work more effectively thanks to updates, including important security fixes to protect your personal data. Given the price parity in the mainstream smartwatch market, software support of three or even four years drastically improves the value for money of your purchase.
Prospective OnePlus Watch 3 owners who are serial upgraders might be less concerned, but this revelation also indicates that it might be a full year before Wear OS 6 arrives on that model, which is surely another reason to reconsider buying one.
In more positive news, OnePlus has confirmed that a smaller model of the Watch 3, and a version with cellular support, are on the way later this year, although whether that’s enough to assuage concerns around software support and longevity is another matter.
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