The OnePlus Watch launched in March 2021 and it looks like it's time for a wearable sequel: a reliable source says a more affordable OnePlus Nord Watch is coming very soon.
That's according to Mukul Sharma (opens in a new tab), who says the OnePlus Nord Watch launch is "imminent," though we don't have too many details. Mass production has apparently now started in various European and Eurasian regions.
If Sharma is right, the OnePlus Nord Watch will be more of a "budget" product than the OnePlus smartwatch that came before it, and it won't run Google's Wear OS software - that's no surprise, because neither will the OnePlus Watch.
cheaper and cheaper
To date, we haven't heard too many rumors or leaks surrounding the OnePlus Nord Watch. It was rumored last week that OnePlus had a host of new devices in the works, including a smartwatch, but there was nothing specific.
The adoption of the Nord brand would, of course, be a continuation of what OnePlus has done with its phones in recent years: there are OnePlus flagship phones and then cheaper OnePlus Nord phones as alternatives.
The question is, how much cheaper will the OnePlus Nord Watch be than the OnePlus Watch? The original smartwatch retails for $159 / £149 (around AU$235), which is pretty affordable to begin with and already undercuts a lot of other smartwatches.
Analysis: portfolio construction
If OnePlus is set to launch the OnePlus Nord Watch, it's yet another example of how smartwatches have become staples for manufacturers to roll out alongside their smartphones, led by Apple with its iPhones and Apple Watch.
Samsung is fully committed to the smartwatch scene, with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, two of the best devices in this category that you can buy. A new pair of Samsung smartwatches is also expected in August.
Even Google is bowing to the inevitable: the Google Pixel Watch is now official, though it will be a while before anyone can buy it. Expect it to go on sale around October, alongside the Google Pixel 7.
While the OnePlus Nord Watch isn't the first foray into the smartwatch business OnePlus has made, it does show that building an entire ecosystem of products is serious business, and these days a smartwatch is an important part of that.