OnePlus Watch 2 may adopt Wear OS, as the original should have

The OnePlus Watch 2 will look to redeem the company from a desperately disappointing first-generation model by adopting the Wear OS 4 operating system, according to a new leak.

The reliable leaker Max Jambor says OnePlus has chosen the Google-made OS to spearhead the sequel, after launching the original OnePlus Watch with a custom OS that offered nothing in the way of third-party apps and an underwhelming first-party experience.

Our reviewer Tom Deehan commented at the time that “you have a system that doesn’t utilise third-party apps like Wear OS or watchOS do, but instead features a bunch of standard native apps for music control, weather updates, breathing exercises, timers and more.”

Even the watch face collection disappointed, with our reviewer calling it “as bland as it gets”, while the overall experience was described as “basic”. Only the sleep tracking feature was noteworthy.

He added: “The only two things that genuinely sets the OnePlus Watch apart is its use as a TV remote – a feature rendered instantly useless without a OnePlus TV – and the ability to store music locally for offline playback (don’t expect Spotify or Deezer integration here).”

Thankfully, it appears One Plus has seen the error of its ways and is adopting Watch OS 4, which admittedly is a far better option than the stagnant Watch OS version, circa 2021. There’s plenty more work to do for OnePlus though, if it is to correct the misfires of its first wearable.

In awarding the watch a 2.5 star score from a possible 5, our reviewed concluded: “The forward thinking ideas and attention to detail that have come to define the company’s smartphones are just nowhere to be found here. There are far better wearables for a fraction of the price, while a slight bump in budget can net you the likes of the Coros Pace 2 or even an Apple Watch 3, all of which you should consider before going anywhere near the OnePlus Watch.”

Can Wear OS 4 provide the redemption song?