Gadget of the Week: The new watch word

What is it?

The Huawei Watch 3 Pro brings the smartwatch closer to the smartphone than we could have imagined just a few years ago. It has eSIM functionality, which means it can receive and make calls independently of a smartphone.

When such capability was first proposed for smartwatches, the media buzzed with comparisons to the iconic Dicky Tracy two-way wrist-radio from 1940s comic books. But the Dick Tracy device was utterly primitive in comparison to what we now have available. For one thing, it was only capable of making and receiving calls. Eight decades later, we expect the device to manage our entire lifestyles.

If that sounds like an exaggeration, it is exactly what Huawei promises for the Huawei Watch 3 Pro, and pretty much what all flagship smartwatches offer today.

Consider these features:

• A skin temperature sensor that records one’s temperature while one remains still in an indoor location. In other words, it not only provides a shortcut for temperature screening, but also allows users to understand their own body temperature, as a route to better health management.
• Fall detection activates a Help mode to let emergency contacts know a user has fallen and been unable to interact with the watch.
• It monitors SpO2 levels, an oxygen measure which, among other, warns users to rest before physical injuries might occur;
• It syncs meetings and appointment, and integrates flight information for checking flight status, boarding gate and seat numbers.
• MeeTime allows users to make voice calls through the app over Wi-Fi, eSIM, or connected smartphone.
• Up to 6GB of music can be stored on the smartwatch, which Huawei says is equivalent to about 1500 songs, meaning an extensive playlist available without having to carry a handset.

The eSIM service allows one to have the same phone number on the Huawei Watch as on one’s smartphone, with the same data and voice tariff plans as on the phone.

Battery life is finally being addressed on high-end smartwatches, bringing them in line with the 3-6 day lives to which Fitbit accustomed the market. The Huawei Watch 3 Pro runs for up to five days in smart mode and up to 21 days in ultra-long battery mode.

It uses 3D curved glass to offer a clear and vibrant, scratch-proof and fingerprint-resistant display, and is made of aerospace-grade titanium fused with a sapphire glass lens.

In short, it looks good and offers the leading edge of smartwatch innovation.

How much is it?

Starts at R7,999.

Why should you care?

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), demand has been slowly shifting away from wristbands towards watches as consumers increasingly want a more capable device and as the gap in pricing narrows. Growth among Indian and Chinese brands has been leading the low-end watch space, while Apple, Huawei, and Samsung maintain a hold at the high-end.

“While the entire wrist-worn wearable market declined year over year, the market for watches actually grew 4.3%,” says Ramon T Llamas, research director for IDC’s wearables team.

While the category has recently been led by Xiaomi’s low-cost bands, the company was dethroned by Apple and Huawei in the third quarter of 2021, as they tied for first place in the wrist-worn segment.

Biggest negatives

• LiteOS is, well, light on apps. It mainly supports Huawei’s app set but is missing apps like Spotify.
• On eSIM only, the battery drains faster than the incredibly shrinking battery life of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2.
• Expensive compared to other Android-friendly options, but in line with Apple Watch prices.

Biggest positives

• Premium titanium casing, which not only looks good, but is also knock resistant.
• eSIM support enables connectivity while away from one’s smartphone – useful for taking a call while on a run.
• Loads of sensors for tracking the likes of heart rate, SpO2, coupled with intelligent software to enable sleep tracking and stress management..
• Five-day battery life with continuous tracking turned on.

* Goldstuck is founder of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter on @art2gee

* Read how this segment is growing in IDC’s latest Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker here.