What you need to know
- Xiaomi is launching three new wearables globally starting today, the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro, Xiaomi Watch S3, and Xiaomi Watch 2.
- While some of these devices previously launched in China, others are debuting for the first time.
- Notably, the Xiaomi Watch S3 runs HyperOS, just like the company’s phones. The Xiaomi Watch 2 is a budget alternative to the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro.
Xiaomi announced the global launch of three new wearable devices, the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro, Xiaomi Watch S3, and Xiaomi Watch 2, at MWC Barcelona today (Feb. 25). Of the new wearables, the Watch S3 and the Smart Band 8 Pro previously launched in China. The Xiaomi Watch 2 came up in leaks earlier this month, but it is now official for the first time.
The Xiaomi Watch 2 is a cheaper version of the Watch 2 Pro, which debuted last year in the premium Wear OS smartwatch market. Xiaomi is selling the Watch 2 for €199, which is around €100 less than the Watch 2 Pro and half the price of the Google Pixel Watch 2. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 wearable platform and Wear OS, the Watch 2 looks poised to compete in the budget smartwatch market.
Xiaomi removed the rotating bezel from the Watch 2 Pro when designing the Watch 2, presumably to cut costs. However, all the other mainstays of the Watch 2 Pro transferred over to the Watch 2. That includes the 1.43-inch AMOLED screen, 495 mAh battery, and GPS and health monitoring features. Xiaomi didn’t specify what version of Wear OS the Watch 2 runs, but it is presumably Wear OS 3.5.
Next up is the Xiaomi Watch S3, which is another budget smartwatch. However, this time, it’s running HyperOS instead of Wear OS. This smartwatch has already been out for months, as it was first released in China in October 2023. It features a 1.43-inch AMOLED display and has a design similar to other Xiaomi watches.
Some software features are only available when the Watch S3 is used with a Xiaomi phone running HyperOS, which will limit its appeal to Android and Wear OS users. The Xiaomi Watch S3 starts at €149, and that’s very affordable. But at just €50 more, the Watch S2 is probably more appealing to a global audience.
Lastly, the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro gets the global launch treatment as well. This fitness tracker and smart device first debuted in China in August of last year. The band has a 1.74-inch AMOLED display and can last up to 14 days on battery. It’s affordable as well, priced at just €69.
Xiaomi says that the three wearable devices will be available globally directly from the company. However, it’s entirely possible they pop up at other retailers in the future.
