Smartwatches are easily some of the most fashion-forward mobile devices, inviting us to make them our own by swapping out bands or trying out some new watch faces. But you’ve had a lot less choice when it comes to the watch’s body itself, usually just choosing between two or three (if you’re lucky) options that you end up stuck with. This year at MWC 2023, Huawei is rethinking that approach as it shows off its Watch GT Cyber, a smartwatch with a quick-change case.
Just as you might pop a new band on your watch’s lugs to change up its look, the Huawei Watch GT Cyber lets you pop the guts of the watch out from the bezel and frame that support it, and move it over to an alternate body. Huawei calls this part the “Smart Movement,” in a little horology nod.
The company starts with two base models: the Huawei Watch GT Cyber Urban Edition that uses ceramic and steel, and the reinforced composite Sport Edition. But while swapping between those will let you alternate colors and materials, the overall design doesn’t really change — it might have been nice to see a little more variety in the look of the cases.
Of course, this is largely an academic discussion for many of us who don’t have access to Huawei devices in the first place. And this being Huawei, the Watch GT Cyber is not a Wear OS model, running HarmonyOS software, instead. Still, we’re absolutely intrigued by the general concept here, and wonder what a company like Samsung or Fossil might be able to pull off with the same kind of hardware.
So far Huawei has yet to share pricing or release plans for the Watch GT Cyber.
