Oppo smartwatch showcased by company exec ahead of launch

Weeks ahead of the rumoured MWC 2020 announcement, an Oppo VP has provided our first look at the upcoming smartwatch

Oppo has made its intentions to enter the wearable space clear, but up until now, the design of the upcoming wearable has been largely unknown. While many pre-release leaks come from sketchy online sources, our first look at the upcoming Oppo smartwatch came from a Vice President at Oppo itself, in the form of a render posted to Chinese social networking site Weibo.

While there were no specifics about the smartwatch provided alongside the render, it is the clearest look at the design you’re likely to get before it’s officially revealed, which will most likely happen at MWC 2020 in February.

Many fans are drawing comparisons between the Oppo smartwatch and the Apple Watch, and it’s not hard to see why; Oppo’s smartwatch features a square watch face and curved edges, and the straps look similar to the silicone straps provided with the entry-level Apple Watch. Even the wallpaper of the display sports a similar colour scheme to Apple’s mindfulness-focused Breathe watchface.

There are a handful of differences though, including a two-button setup on the right-hand side of the smartwatch. There’s a possibility that there will be a crown situated on the left of the smartwatch, obscured from view in the render, but that remains unconfirmed right now.

The eagle-eyed amongst you might’ve also noticed the inclusion of a microphone, placed between the two buttons on the right-hand side of the smartwatch. The purpose of the microphone is unknown at this point, but it’s not hard to imagine being able to a virtual assistant (possibly Google Assistant) voice commands on-the-go.

The display of the watch showcases ‘Fri 06’ and it’s likely that this is the date that the smartwatch will go on sale. Looking at the 2020 calendar, the next Friday to fall on the sixth of the month is March. That aligns with a possible MWC 2020 reveal and release in the following weeks, but we’ll have to wait and see for now.