Huawei brings HarmonyOS 2.0 to new Watch 3, Watch 3 Pro
Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 2:54PM
Huawei's newest smartwatches are out of its stable with the launch of the Huawei Watch 3 and Watch 3 Pro. The two models differ a bit when it comes to design, materials, and battery life. But both will run on HarmonyOS 2.0 operating system.
The Huawei Watch 3 series gets a new 3D rotating crown instead of a top button on the right side. According to Huawei, this crown allows for a more intuitive way to navigate the user interface no matter what environment you're in, as it works with wet or gloved hands.
The base Huawei Watch 3 has slimmed-down bezels, and it now has a slightly larger 1.43-inch AMOLED panel with 1,000 nits brightness and 326 ppi pixel density. The watch face is protected by strengthened glass, while the body is made of high-quality steel, and its back s made of ceramic. The Watch 3 is water-resistant to up to 5 ATM. Huawei didn't talk about its processor, but it has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage.
Huawei offers four different designs for the watch: Active (with a silicone strap), Classic (leather strap), Elite (metal band) and Classic (Milanese band).
It comes equipped with heart rate and blood-oxygen sensors as well as a skin temperature tracker, allowing it to monitor your stress levels, sleep, and other health issues that may arise 24/7. It can track over 100 workout modes, including 17 professional workout activities.
The Watch 3 supports a 4G eSIM so that you can use it without its paired smartphone. It can handle calls, stream songs from Huawei Music, and connect to your Bluetooth headphones. It can even support video calls, but without a camera onboard, you'll just be making a voice call from your end. This smartwatch has a built-in speaker. It also has fall detection, which uses the eSIM to send out an SOS if you've been hurt.
Huawei has brought AppGallery support to the Watch 3, allowing you to install HarmonyOS apps directly to the watch. With support for more apps, the UI now has a grid launcher, allowing you to pan and zoom around to get to the app or feature you need.
Battery life in standard mode (with 4G enabled) is expected to last for three days. You can stretch that out to 14 days in Ultra-Long Lasting Mode. The latter will keep vital functions running, including SpO2 monitoring, 14 workout modes, Bluetooth calling, and even animated watch faces. This smartwatch charges wirelessly.
The Huawei Watch 3 costs CNY 2,600 (around CAD 491), which is available for pre-order in China now, with sales starting on June 11. The additional watch bands will arrive later this month, with pricing starting at CNY 200 (around CAD 38).
The Huawei Watch 3 Pro has a timeless, traditional watch look, but still with the new crown. It has more of a bezel around the screen, and its body is made out of titanium. Meanwhile, the back is still made with ceramic. Its screen is protected by sapphire glass. Battery life is improved to 5 days with 4G or 21 days in Ultra-Long Lasting mode.
This smartwatch is one of the first to get a dual-band GPS receiver for more accurate and stable position reading, even in dense cities.
The Huawei Watch 3 Pro retails for CNY 3,300 (around CAD 623). Pre-orders also kick off in China today.
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