Update, December 18 (04:50 am ET): European price and availability details announced.
What you need to know
- Xiaomi has introduced an affordable new smartwatch for global markets.
- The Mi Watch Lite is based on the Redmi Watch, which was launched in China last month.
- It comes with a 1.4-inch color screen, 11 workout modes, built-in GPS, and a 230mAh battery.
Xiaomi's Redmi sub-brand launched its first smartwatch last month, alongside new Redmi Note 9 series phones. While the Redmi Watch is currently exclusive to China, Xiaomi today announced a new watch based on Redmi's first smartwatch for global markets.
Just like the Mi Watch, which was launched last year, the new Mi Watch Lite has a very similar design to the Apple Watch. It features a 1.4-inch 320 x 320 TFT color display with automatic brightness adjustment and over 120 themed watch faces.
While it obviously isn't as impressive as the best Android smartwatches when it comes to activity tracking, the Mi Watch Lite does offer 11 workout modes and an automatic step counter. It also offers heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and 5 ATM water resistance. There is built-in GPS as well, something that is missing on the Redmi Watch.
When it comes to battery life, Xiaomi claims the Mi Watch Lite can last up to 9 days on a single charge under typical usage. If you use the GPS in sports mode, however, you'll only get a maximum of 10 hours.
Unfortunately, there are no details on pricing and availability yet. The Redmi Watch was launched in China at just 299 yuan ($46), so it is likely that the Mi Watch Lite will be priced well under $100.
Update, December 18 (04:50 am ET) — Mi Watch Lite to cost €50 in Europe
Xiaomi has confirmed to Android Authority that the Mi Watch Lite will be available in Europe starting December 22. The smartwatch has been priced at €49.90 ($61) in the old continent. Unfortunately, Xiaomi says it has no plans of launching the smartwatch in the U.S.
TicWatch S2
The TicWatch S2 is an affordable sports-focused smartwatch that offers military-grade durability. It also has onboard GPS, 5 ATM water resistance, and a crisp 1.39-inch display.
