Update: The dual-display TicWatch Pro went on sale in the US. Customers can pick up from Amazon in exchange for $249.
The watch is IP68 rated for water and dust resistance and runs Google’s Wear OS out of the box. Most importantly, the TicWatch Pro claims to be able to offer a battery life of up to one month in what it calls Essential mode. This uses only the top display and some key sensors while turning Wear OS and all the smart features off.
Alternatively, when Smart Mode reaches low battery, Essential mode can automatically be turned on so the watch can last for another three full days.
Original story:
Since Google rebranded Android Wear to Wear OS, we haven’t seen any new major smartwatch announcements.
Well, this changes this week as Mobvoi has unveiled a new intelligent timepiece which runs Google’s wearable operating system. It’s called the TicWatch Pro and comes with an intriguing feature.
One of the biggest complaints with smartwatches is the need to recharge them as often as a smartphone. Mobvoi aims to solve this wide-spread issue by employing not one but two displays on board the TicWatch Pro.
Aiming to cut power consumption, the new TicWatch Pro has a circular primary OLED touchscreen and a second transparent FSTN LCD on the top of that display. And while the secondary screen might not be as pretty as the OLED, it’s certainly more power efficient.
How does it work?
When you’re not actively using the TicWatch Pro, the low-power monochrome display will show essential info such as time, date, and a few basic metrics including heart rate, power status and the number of steps taken. This is called Essential mode and basically it turns off all the Wear OS features and leaves you with a “dumb” watch instead.
Since the secondary screen is transparent, when you want to use the watch to its full potential or in “Smart Mode”, the LCD will clear and you’ll be able to see the OLED. Users will be able to manually flip between the two screen or leave the smartwatch to decide.
Mobvoi says the TicWatch Pro can last up to 30 days on a single charge in Essential mode or 2 days in Smart mode with the watch switching between its two screens.
On top of its fancy display setup, the TicWatch Pro also comes packing NFC for Google Pay, a heart rate sensor, fitness tracking. Mobvoi notes there’s even potential for an LTE model for the US.
The standard model is expected to be priced under $300 and will go on sale this summer. You can subscribe on the Mobvoi website to get updates about the upcoming wearable.
