Does the OnePlus Watch 2 run Wear OS?

What do you get with Wear OS?

The OnePlus Watch 2 runs on Wear OS by Google, so you get all the features you’d expect in a Google Wear OS smartwatch. This includes access to all the popular Google apps and services, access to the Google Play store right from your wrist, fast pairing with a compatible Android device (even smoother set-up with a OnePlus phone), and more. 

With the Wear OS 4 platform, the latest offered by Google, the watch comes pre-loaded with some of the most popular Google apps. This includes Maps, Assistant, Wallet, and Calendar. Tap the Google Play Store icon from the watch itself and search for a wealth of other apps right from your wrist. Use the tiny on-screen keyboard or the built-in mic and voice commands to run a search for all types of apps, including additional Google ones like Gmail and Google Keep as well as third-party apps. Install right from the watch and enjoy everything from music streaming apps to on-watch games, productivity apps, and more. Additionally, the OnePlus Watch 2 works with Android phone features like Find My Devices and Google Home. 

Customize the look of the Wear OS device using the various tiles, built-in and downloadable watch faces, and even control compatible smart home gadgets using the Google Home app. It has Google Assistant built-in as well, as noted, so you can ask questions to get answers on the fly, like measurement conversions while cooking in the kitchen, or to set a wake-up alarm. 

Beyond Google Wear OS, there are some OnePlus-specific features, too. For example, the OnePlus Watch 2 can sync the Weather and Alarm apps between a compatible OnePlus phone and the smartwatch. 

OnePlus is committed to offering up to two years of full software support, so the watch will be up-to-date for many years to come.

How does the dual-engine architecture in the OnePlus Watch 2 work?

The OnePlus Watch 2 employs a dual-engine architecture, which consists of two separate chipsets that work both together and on their own to afford a seamless but also efficient experience. 

The first chip is a BES2700 Efficiency Chipset. This one is always on in the background, using RTOS (Real Time Operating System) software. It’s low power but always working to run the most basic functions of the watch. The second chip is a Snapdragon W5 performance chipset. This more powerful chip runs Wear OS 4, which is the software behind the OnePlus Watch 2. It only kicks in when needed to run more complex apps, like Maps, Google Home, streaming music, and more. When it isn’t needed, it effectively goes into a sort of sleep mode. 

Because of this set-up with the BES2700 handling daily tasks and the Snapdragon W5 only coming alive to do the heavy lifting as needed, the smartwatch can run more efficiently. This also helps extend battery life, which is one of the best features of this smartwatch. You’ll get up to 100 hours (or 4 days) of use in the standard smart mode, or up to 12 days in Power Saver mode, which limits functions further. 

Even in the Power Saver mode, however, thanks to the dual chips, you still get access to features like sleep and heart rate tracking, certain fitness tracking modes, calls, and more. Thanks to features like this, the OnePlus Watch 2 ranks among the best smartwatches for battery life. And with Wear OS, you’ll be able to do so much from your wrist.