OnePlus unveils the $159 OnePlus Watch, available April 14, which has a circular 1.39" display, blood oxygen tracking, fast charging, and does not run Wear OS
Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge :
Context & Ripple Effects
OnePlus entered smartwatches after Oppo had already introduced its own first fitness-focused smartwatch, but it initially chose a lower-cost, non-Wear-OS route. That choice became a clear product-strategy pivot when OnePlus later introduced the Watch 2 as its first Wear OS model at a higher starting price.
First-order effects
- OnePlus gives price-sensitive buyers a $159 smartwatch option with blood-oxygen tracking and fast charging, while avoiding the Wear OS platform.
- The non-Wear-OS design limits the software experience: the subsequent OnePlus Watch review cited no voice assistant, no always-on display, and restricted notification options.
Second-order effects
- OnePlus has to balance its low entry price against feature gaps associated with its proprietary software, creating pressure to improve the platform or adopt Wear OS.
- The later Watch 2's move to Wear OS and $299 starting price shows OnePlus separating a cheaper, battery-oriented watch approach from a more full-featured platform offering.
Third-order effects
- If that progression persists, OnePlus's smartwatch line shifts from a single low-cost hardware play toward tiered products in which Wear OS and richer hardware justify higher prices.
- The trajectory from the $159 original model to the Wear OS 5-based Watch 3 suggests platform access is becoming a central differentiator in OnePlus's watch portfolio.
The trend: OnePlus is moving its smartwatch strategy from low-cost proprietary software toward higher-priced Wear OS devices with broader feature sets.