OnePlus set an interesting standard with Watch 3 and Wear OS 5

Every Wear OS brand besides Samsung and Google has had such a fraught, confusing history with updates that we had no idea what to expect from OnePlus. Would the OnePlus Watch 3 launch with Wear OS 5, or an older version like some TicWatches? And how quickly would the two promised version updates arrive on the OnePlus Watch 2?

Thanks to the OnePlus Watch 3 and clarification from the OnePlus PR team, we have our answers. And I think it's set a precedent for what to expect from any Wear OS watch that doesn't have "Galaxy" or "Pixel" in the name.

My colleague Nick Sutrich got hands-on time with the OnePlus Watch 3 this past week, and he's highly positive about it so far. It's a major hardware upgrade over the OnePlus Watch 2 thanks to the active crown, fixed health tracking, eye-friendly display, smarter coprocessor, and larger battery capacity.

OnePlus promises a five-day battery life, and Nick's Watch 3 has surpassed this estimate so far. Some credit must go to the silicon-carbon battery, but we can also consider its switch to Wear OS 5: Google added some battery-saving background changes last year that'll pay off in subtle ways for OnePlus Watch 3 buyers.

We're still diving into the OnePlus Watch 3's software to try and flesh out what's new and different. But when we asked OnePlus, their answer was very illuminating:

Google app minutiae aside, that last portion is illuminating because OnePlus's rep was essentially saying to go to the "Explore Wear OS 5 features" page on Android Developers. Unlike Samsung's unique version of One UI 6 Watch or Mobvoi's specific update list for Wear OS 4, OnePlus largely put its software update in Google's hands.

This isn't to say that the OnePlus Watch 3 software is a Pixel Watch 3 clone. OnePlus has its UI quirks, video watch faces, and health features specific to the OHealth app, such as the 60-second health checkup tool.

I did note one unique feature: You can prop up your OnePlus 13 and then swipe through TikTok or YouTube Shorts videos using your watch display. I have no idea how many people would want to navigate their feeds with their phones propped up, but at least OnePlus tried something new!

But by and large, OnePlus is offering a "stock" Wear OS experience, and some of its "new" Wear OS 5 features are things that were missing from its version of Wear OS 4, like emergency SOS, camera controls, and the ability to transfer your watch to a new phone.

I'm perfectly fine with OnePlus focusing on hardware and health upgrades with the Watch 3. It seems to have paid off, and compared to other Wear OS watches that work best within their ecosystem, I think you can wear this with just about any Android phone brand without missing any features because of the "stock" Wear OS approach.

Now for the downsides: OnePlus says the Watch 3 will receive two OS updates — like the OnePlus Watch 2 — and two years of bi-monthly security updates through early 2027. OnePlus committed to three years of security updates for the Watch 2, so we're not sure why OnePlus has apparently decided to cut back one year of support.

As for the OnePlus Watch 2, the OnePlus rep said that "Watch 2 users are expected to receive their OS 5 updates in Q3 of this year." That July–September stretch is when we'd expect the Galaxy Watch 8 and Pixel Watch 4 to launch with Wear OS 6, meaning OnePlus will be a year behind them.

Up until this point, Wear OS brands like Xiaomi and Mobvoi have fallen a year behind Google and Samsung, only launching Wear OS 4 around Q3 2024. OnePlus obviously has a leg up by launching Wear OS 5 only half a year behind Samsung, but I'm not sure why the OnePlus Watch 2 — which has the same Snapdragon processor — would need another half a year or so.

At this point, I can only assume the year-long update gap between the Wear OS co-creators and third-party partners will never close. Samsung and Google had some trouble updating their watches to Wear OS 5, but nothing like what their partners have experienced.

General Wear OS trends aside, I'm not sure why the OnePlus Watch 3 will (presumably) stop receiving security updates well before it gets Wear OS 7 in late 2027. That seems a bit odd, and I'd like to think OnePlus will still provide some sporadic security support afterward, not just drop major changes and then ignore the Watch 3 entirely.

As it is, with Samsung and Google promising four and three years of support, respectively, OnePlus's two-year promise feels like the one potential blemish to an otherwise exciting OnePlus Watch 3 launch.