You can't use Meta in China but the OnePlus Watch 3 is 'Meda in China'

A OnePlus Watch 3 with the watch display on and the bands detached
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

What you need to know

  • OnePlus just launched its Watch 3 and those who have received the watch already have noticed a glaring typo.
  • The back panel of the Watch 3 reads "Meda in China" instead of "Made in China." which somehow seems to have skipped the company's quality check.
  • It remains unclear if this error is confined to the earliest batch of these wearables or if it hadn't been noticed until now.

The OnePlus Watch 3 launched yesterday and while we're still soaking in all the new features, one user on Reddit has noticed a minor error with the wearable.

It has nothing to do with the Watch 3 itself, but with a typo on the back panel. The company ended up engraving "Meda in China" instead of "Made in China," on these wearables (first reported by Android Authority). While this may seem like a minor issue, it raises questions about how the Watch 3 cleared final quality checks.

While not many people have been able to get their hands on this wearable as official sales don't begin until February 25, the first few who did receive this batch seemed to have got the ones with the typo. This includes Android Central's Nick Sutrich, who also received the watch from the typo- batch.

Meda in China on the OnePlus Watch 3

Nick's OnePlus Watch 3 review unit, showing the typo (Image credit: Nick Sutrich/Android Central)

The Reddit thread showcased mixed reactions from users. Some made fun of this odd situation, while others expressed their disappointment with the company's oversight and attention to detail.

What's more, Android Authority noted this same typo on Watch 3 renders located on OnePlus's website. The site suggested this typo might somehow be intentional, though a simpler alternative is that the error has been copy-pasted in multiple places.

OnePlus has yet to comment on this mistake. Android Central has reached out to them to check if this typo will be corrected on the other watches that will soon be on sale. We will update this article once we have more information.

Typo aside, the OnePlus Watch 3 has mostly attracted positive attention this week thanks to its powerful five-day battery life, backed by the same OnePlus Silicon NanoStack Battery as the OnePlus 13, and several key upgrades over the Watch 2. But we did also note that the Watch 3's software updates will be slower and fewer than the Galaxy and Pixel Watches; this should have a more lasting impact than a typo that'll be hidden by your wrist.

Nandika Ravi
News Editor

Nandika Ravi is an Editor for Android Central. Based in Toronto, after rocking the news scene as a Multimedia Reporter and Editor at Rogers Sports and Media, she now brings her expertise into the Tech ecosystem. When not breaking tech news, you can catch her sipping coffee at cozy cafes, exploring new trails with her boxer dog, or leveling up in the gaming universe.