The long-awaited Google Pixel Watch was finally unveiled at this year’s Google I/O, though the company was particularly cagey about its specifications. There’s been a drip-feed of Pixel Watch leaks over the past while since then, kick-started by a device reportedly being found in a restaurant right before its I/O debut. We’ve heard that it’ll pack an older Exynos chipset for starters, and we’ve also heard that it may have a 300 mAh battery and LTE connectivity support. Now we’re hearing that the Pixel Watch may have single-day battery life, an estimate that Google is said to have made internally.
The report comes from 9to5Google, citing sources from within the company. They were unable to ascertain under what conditions those estimates are, with the biggest question being as to whether or not an always-on display was enabled. It also doesn’t mention whether or not that day includes a night of sleep tracking or not. Plenty of Wear OS watches have poor battery life, but they’ll last you a day, a night of sleep tracking, and then expect you to charge it up in the morning while you get ready. Sometimes, you can stretch them out until the following evening.
As a result, a day of battery life isn’t too unreasonable for a Wear OS smartwatch, as other smartwatches often manage to tout about the same. It’s only devices from the likes of Huawei, Amazfit, OPPO, and more with their own proprietary operating systems that can pull much longer battery life from their watches.
However, the problem may become particularly ugly when it comes to charging. According to the report, the Google Pixel Watch will not offer fast charging with its USB-C to the magnetic dock charging cradle. It’s “nowhere near” as fast as the Apple Watch 7 which charges to full in 75 minutes, or up to 75% in 45 minutes. That’s the worst part, as while a watch with single-day battery life isn’t great, having to wait a long time for it to charge may mean it’s out of the running for anyone looking to pick up Google’s first smartwatch offering. 9to5Google says it reportedly takes up to 110 minutes to charge to full, which is an insanely long time.
Think about it this way: let’s say that usage time includes using your watch for the day, sleeping, then needing to charge it. That means to charge your watch fully for the day (and to use it for sleep tracking that night), you’ll need to charge it for just shy of two whole hours in the morning when you wake up. That’s just not feasible for a lot of people.
We’ll be waiting to see if these estimates from Google come to fruition, or if the company was just being conservative in its guesses. It’s definitely not a good sign for the Pixel Watch, though.
I have been reviewing Huawei consumer products for half a decade and there’s a clear leitmotif that runs through all my reviews: impeccable hardware that is usually the best looking and well-built in its product category, but the software experience doesn’t quite keep up if compared to top rivals. And even though Huawei’s new smartwatch series, the Watch GT 3 Pro, makes strides towards improving the software end, it’s still not all the way there. Whether it’s the titanium or ceramic model, the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro looks absolutely gorgeous and makes Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 feel cheap by comparison. But there are just things the Galaxy Watch 4 or the Apple Watch 7 can do that Huawei’s smartwatches still cannot, like the ability to access an English voice assistant or respond to notifications in a dynamic manner.
But perhaps that’s just me being a nitpicky reviewer because Huawei’s smartwatches are selling well, moving 42.7 million units globally in 2021, according to research firm IDC. And while this number still trails Samsung and Xiaomi (48.1 and 54.4 million respectively), it marks a 35% year-on-year growth for Huawei compared to the 3.8% and 7.9% growth for Samsung and Xiaomi respectively. The Apple Watch of course still sits far above at the top of the mountain, having sold 161.1 million units in 2021, but the Apple Watch, with its iOS lock-in, is basically a different beast all to its own.
This means Huawei’s smartwatches are the third most popular wearable for Android users and it’s growing faster than everyone in this space. The Watch GT 3 Pro could continue this trend because even by Huawei’s already high hardware standards, this is in my opinion the best looking and most premium smartwatch series.
The Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro brings an ultra premium design using titanium or ceramic material wrapping around a gorgeous OLED screen that gets brighter than any other Android smartwatch I have tested.
The Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro comes in either titanium or ceramic models and is on sale now in mainland China and beginning May 30 in select European and Asia regions, including the UK, Germany, Singapore, and Malaysia. Sale platforms include Amazon UK and Huawei’s online store. Pricing is listed below (in Chinese yuan, Euro, and British Pound).
About this review: This review was written after two weeks of testing both titanium and ceramic models of the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro provided by Huawei. Huawei also covered my travel to Milan to attend the product launch. The company did not have any input in this review.
Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro: Design and Hardware
Classy design with premium materials
Bright and vivid OLED screens
A bit too heavy to wear for workouts
Bands may not fit every wrist perfectly
Both models of the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro feature sapphire crystal glass covering their 466 x 466 OLED screens (1.4-inches for the 46mm titanium model and 1.3-inches for the 43mm ceramic model) and a ceramic backside. It’s the material between which the front and back sandwich that differs: the titanium model uses an aerospace-grade titanium frame, and the ceramic model uses ceramic. Both models come with either leather straps or bands that match the body material.
The watches, particularly the titanium model I handled, feel hefty and weighty compared to say a Fitbit Sense or Galaxy Watch 4, weighing a bit over 90g with the band (the watch itself is 54g). The ceramic model is smaller and about 10g lighter. The switch to solid lugs instead of the open lug design seen in the Huawei Watch 3 or the Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro adds to the feeling of a larger watch.
The ceramic model looks visually striking -- but I like the titanium model better
The all-ceramic model is the star of the show — ceramic watches are considered more luxurious than metallic watches — and it does look visually striking with the gold trim around the frame and the butterfly clasp. But for my wrist and the clothes I wear, I prefer the titanium model.
Both watches have a crown that is both clickable and rotatable, as well as a separate button. I find the latter button to be unnecessary, as the crown plus combination of swipes and taps is more than enough to navigate through the watches’ HarmonyOS-powered UI. The crown features texture ribbings and looks particularly classy on the titanium model.
The titanium band features a deployant buckle clasp that provides a satisfying click whenever it locks around my wrist. The nature of these band designs, however, mean they may not fit every wrist type (there’s more room for adjustment with typical buckle-and-hole type straps). It also takes a bit of time to get them in the right size: the titanium band features small switches inside each band link that sets them loose. The switches are so small it took me over five minutes just to remove a link for a tighter fit. The ceramic model takes even more work, with its band containing micro screws that require a specific tool (a miniature-sized screwdriver that’s included with packaging) to remove or add a link. It took me well over 10 minutes of fiddling to get the ceramic model closer to the ideal fit. Both watches come with extra links for those with thicker wrists. If you need numbers, Huawei says the titanium models can fit wrist sizes from 140mm to 210mm, while the ceramic model covers 130mm to 190mm.
If you want to remove or add links in the ceramic model, you must fiddle with the tiny screwdrivers with the included screwdriver.
Needing to remove or add links to get the right fit is absolutely normal in the luxury watch space, by the way, and enthusiasts may even enjoy this process. But for me, it was a bit of a hassle, and you need to make sure you have ample lighting and a flat clean surface to fiddle with the ceramic band, as the ceramic band’s micro screws are minuscule.
And despite all that fiddling, the ceramic model doesn’t fit my wrist perfectly. It’s either a bit too loose or a bit too tight, as my wrist size fits in between the size of one link. The titanium model, however, fits my wrist just about right. For normal day wear, and particularly when I attended some press events, it added a bit of flair to my otherwise plain style of dress. However, the watch is a bit too heavy to wear for workouts in my opinion. A shame, because the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro is quite good at tracking activities. More on this later.
Both watches feature a loudspeaker and microphone, which allowed me to take phone calls through the watch on my wrist. Huawei did not specify the chip powering the watch, nor the memory or battery size, but rest assured, they’re more than powerful enough to handle the watch’s UI. Battery life is particularly impressive, with the titanium model able to last up to two weeks on a single charge and the ceramic model up to seven days.
The Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro fits my girlfriend’s wrist better.
All the sensors one would expect from a pricey smartwatch are here, including optical heart rate, SpO2, gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer, and magnetometer, the latter allows the compass function to work without an internet connection. The heart rate sensor has been upgraded from the non-pro Watch GT 3 or last year’s Watch GT 2 Pro: it now features eight photodiodes for supposedly more accurate detection.
The Watch GT 3 Pro are rated IP68 and 5ATM, meaning you can definitely take these for swimming indoor pools, and even diving in the sea up to 30 meters deep.
Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro: Software and Features
Runs on Huawei’s proprietary HarmonyOS
Colorful UI with aesthetically-pleasing animations
Anemic third-party app support
Allows canned responses to text message notifications — better than before, but not enough
The Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro runs on HarmonyOS, and it’s a responsive UI with colorful graphics and smooth animations. The watch works with Android and iOS devices, but you must download the Huawei health app to pair.
Herein lies problem number one: due to the US government imposed sanctions, the Huawei Health app you’d find in the Google Play Store is outdated and won’t connect to the watches. You must instead install a newer version of Huawei Health either via Huawei’s AppGallery or via an official Huawei link which you can access by scanning a QR code on the watch’s setup screen.
Needing to install apps from a third-party source requires a few additional steps like granting permission in Android and a major hassle in iOS, so right off the bat, the setup process for the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro is more complicated than smartwatches from brands with a firm presence in the West like Fitbit, Mobvoi, Samsung, etc.
HarmonyOS is a responsive UI with colorful graphics and smooth animations
Once you do pair the watch, the Huawei Health app works fine and does a good job of providing me with relevant information. There are dozens of free watch faces to choose from (and a lot more that cost money), and some look quite nice. But only a couple of these watch faces provide interactive complications (meaning you can tap on a part of the watch face to access a feature).
Judging the third-party app situation here depends on point-of-view. If I compare it against a Galaxy Watch 3 or a Fitbit Versa 3, which don’t have great third-party app support anyway, then it’s not that bad. The only app I miss from other Android smartwatches is Google Maps. Huawei’s maps alternative, Petal Maps, is okay in certain cities like Hong Kong and Singapore, but really lacking in Milan and, I assume, California where I grew up. If I compare Huawei’s app situation against the Apple Watch (the gold standard in wearables still), then the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro will feel limited.
It’s the same for the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro’s lack of a digital assistant. This is a huge loss for someone used to an Apple Watch, because you can ask Siri to do a myriad of things, and the Apple Watch is so smart at detecting voice commands that you often don’t even have to touch the watch to begin asking Siri to do things.
But are you really losing out on that much if you’re coming from a Samsung smartwatch? Because even to this day, the Galaxy Watch 4 still doesn’t offer Google Assistant (it’s supposedly about to change soon, but I haven’t received it, nor have most of my peers in the tech reviewing community) so you’re stuck with Bixby, and Bixby isn’t that good.
Responding to text message notifications
A big gripe I had with Huawei smartwatches in the past was that even though it could receive notifications, it doesn’t allow me to respond or interact with them. Between WhatsApp, WeChat, Slack, and Signal, I get over 100 messages a day, and a watch that lets me respond directly on the wrist (instead of needing to pull out the phone) saves me a lot of time.
I’m happy to report that Huawei has improved matters a bit by giving us the ability to choose from a list of canned responses. These responses are customizable too (inside the Huawei Health app), so I have set a few phrases I say often, which helps. But this is still not as good as just letting me respond with whatever I want directly on my wrist, which Apple and Samsung’s smartwatches let me do.
In Huawei’s defense, this is something very, very few Android watches get right. Fitbit and Chinese Android brand smartwatches also don’t let me respond dynamically, and while WearOS does, most WearOS devices on store shelves now run on an underpowered Snapdragon 3100 chip that can’t handle voice dictations properly. The only smartwatch for Android that allows me to consistently respond directly on the watch is the Galaxy Watch 4. So Huawei’s problems are not specific-to-Huawei problems. But it’s still annoying.
Fitness and Health Tracking
I have been wearing the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro for two weeks and I am impressed by how accurately it tracks my data. The step count is accurate from what I can see, and the watch even accurately detected a rise in my skin temperature between days when I traveled from moderately warm Milan to extremely hot Singapore.
One evening, I used the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro to track my bike ride, while leaving my phone in a locker, and the Watch GT 3 Pro’s GPS did an accurate job of tracking the path and distance.
The Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro also does a very accurate job of tracking steps, as it’s able to identify a real step vs when I’m just moving my wrist or cycling.
Should you buy the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro?
With the titanium model starting at what is equivalent to $400 and the ceramic model at $599, the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro is pricier than most smartwatches for Android, including the Galaxy Watch 4. However, the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro is made of much more premium materials than Samsung’s smartwatch. The ceramic model pricing also seemed very high to me at first, until I did some research and realized that ceramic watches are traditionally priced much higher — well into four digits. If we look at it through this lens, then Huawei’s ceramic GT Watch 3 Pro is actually the most affordable ceramic watch yet.
While I like the look and feel of the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro (the titanium model in particular), the inability to respond dynamically to notifications or use a reliable voice assistant holds it back for me. Right now, because the Galaxy Watch 4 also doesn’t have a good digital assistant, I can justify using the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro over it, but when Google Assistant finally arrives on Samsung’s wearable, then it will have too big a software edge for me to not switch back.
If you don’t care about responding to notifications or using a digital assistant, then the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro does a good job everywhere else, and again, I like how it looks more than not just Samsung’s watch, but also other smartwatches I’ve recently tested like the Skagen Falster Gen 6.
Whatever the case, Huawei is going hard on wearables, and the Watch GT 3 Pro is the company’s most polished offering yet.
The Fire TV ecosystem is now a little bigger in the UK with the arrival of Xiaomi’s first units based on Amazon’s platform. The F2 is available to order now in three sizes and at a special discounted price for the first week. Fire TV has been a slow burner away from Amazon’s own hardware and lesser-known brands, but now it seems that might be starting to change.
But why now? There has been much discussion in the past over Google and its control over Android on the TV. The Android Compatibility Commitment effectively blocked hardware manufacturers from building any competing Android-based devices if they also wanted access to Google Play and the company’s apps and services. It was reported back in 2020 as being an “open secret” that companies were effectively scared away from building Fire TV devices. The whole thing even prompted anti-trust investigations.
That aside, what about the new Xiaomi F2, then? On paper, it all sounds rather good. There’s a choice of 43-inch, 50-inch, and 55-inch TVs, with the smallest going for just £339 initially. For the price, these are pretty well-equipped TVs.
Resolution is, of course, 4K, and the F2 also supports HDR10. Connectivity is generous with four HDMI 2.1 ports as well as built-in Bluetooth and USB. The panel itself boasts 90% DCI-P3 color and a 6ms response time, so it sounds pretty good for console gaming. Albeit limited to 60 FPS on the latest generation.
The special sauce is Amazon’s Fire TV platform instead of Google TV or some other proprietary solution. You do need an Amazon account to use all the features, like Alexa, but if you’re buying a Fire TV at all we’ll assume that isn’t an issue. Inside is 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, which doesn’t sound a lot, but it’s plenty for installing your favorite media streaming services.
When the initial discount ends, prices will start at £399 for the 43-inch model, rising to £499 for the 55-inch. Which is still attractive given everything on offer.
After launching the iQOO Z6 and Z6 Pro in India late last month, Vivo’s sub-brand iQOO has now launched a new affordable flagship in the region — the iQOO Neo 6. The latest device in iQOO’s steadily growing portfolio features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 SoC, a 120Hz Samsung E4 AMOLED display, an impressive triple camera setup, and 80W wired fast charging support. If you’re on the lookout for an affordable flagship, read on to learn more about the new iQOO Neo 6.
iQOO Neo 6: Specifications
Specification
iQOO Neo 6
Build
Plastic back
Colors:
Dark Nova
Cyber Rage
Dimensions & Weight
163 x 76.16 x 8.54mm
190g
Display
6.6-inch FHD+ E4 AMOLED
2400×1080
120Hz refresh rate
360Hz touch sampling rate
1300nits peak brightness
HDR10+ certification
SoC
Qualcomm Snapdragon 870
RAM & Storage
8GB RAM + 128GB storage
12GB + 256GB
Battery & Charging
4,700mAh
80W wired fast charging support
Security
In-display fingerprint sensor
Rear Camera(s)
Primary: 64MP f/1.89, OIS
Ultra-wide: 8MP f/2.2
Macro: 2MP f/2.4
Front Camera(s)
16MP f/2.0
Port(s)
USB Type-C
Audio
Dual stereo speakers
Hi-Res certification
Connectivity
5G
4G LTE
Dual-band Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 5.2
Software
Funtouch OS 12 based on Android 12
Two years of Android upgrades
Three years of monthly security updates
Other Features
X-axis linear motor
36,907mm2 Cascade cooling system
The new iQOO Neo 6 is a 5G-capable device that offers some impressive hardware at a rather affordable price. It packs the Snapdragon 870 chip — a solid option for gaming and other demanding tasks that doesn’t break the bank. The SoC is paired with up to 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, and a stunning 6.6-inch FHD+ Samsung E4 AMOLED display. The panel offers a peak refresh rate of 120Hz, a 360Hz touch sampling rate, 1300nits of peak brightness, and HDR10+ certification.
The iQOO Neo 6 features a large camera island in the top left corner of the back panel, which loosely resembles the one found on the flagship iQOO 9 series. It houses a 64MP primary shooter with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro sensor. Over on the front, the device features a 16MP selfie shooter.
Other noteworthy features include dual stereo speakers, an X-axis linear vibration motor, a 36,907mm2 Cascade cooling system, an in-display fingerprint sensor, and a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfers. Speaking of charging, the iQOO Neo 6 packs a substantial 4,700mAh battery that supports Vivo’s 80W wired FlashCharge technology. iQOO claims that the included 80W charging brick can get the phone from 0-50% in just 12 minutes. For wireless connectivity, the device offers 5G support, 4G LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.2.
On the software front, the iQOO Neo 6 runs Vivo’s Funtouch OS 12 based on Android 12. It’s worth mentioning that iQOO promises two years of Android upgrades and three years of monthly security updates for the device.
Pricing & Availability
The iQOO Neo 6 is available for purchase in India starting today. Interested buyers can purchase the device through iQOO’s website or Amazon.in. The iQOO Neo 6 comes in two RAM/storage variants, which are priced as follows:
8GB+128GB: ₹29,999 (~$386)
12GB+256GB: ₹33,999 (~$438)
The device comes in two colorways — Dark Nova and Cyber Rage. If you like what you see and would like to purchase the device, you can click on the link below to order one right away. Note that iQOO is currently offering attractive discounts on the device, and you can get your hands on the base model for as low as ₹25,999.
Earlier this year, Realme launched a Dragonball Z-themed variant of the Realme GT Neo 2 phone, and now the Realme GT Neo 3 has also got the manga/anime-themed variant treatment. This time the manga/anime is Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto, which ran from 1999 to 2014.
Other than a new backside paint job, a themed UI and a really cool packaging, the Naruto Edition is identical to the standard model, so this article will focus solely on the unboxing experience and quick look at the UI. You can check out our Realme GT Neo 3 review to learn more about how the phone performs overall.
Realme GT Neo 3: Specifications
Specification
Realme GT Neo 3
Dimensions & Weight
163.3 x 75.6 x 8.2mm
188g
Display
6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED
120Hz refresh rate
100% DCI-P3 coverage
Corning Gorilla Glass 5
SoC
MediaTek Dimensity 8100 5G
Mali-G610 MC6 GPU
RAM & Storage
6GB/8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM
128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 storage
Battery & Charging
4,500mAh with 150W fast charging support
Security
In-display fingerprint scanner
Rear Camera(s)
Primary: 50MP Sony IMX766, f/1.88, OIS
Ultra-wide: 8MP, f/2.25, 119.7° FOV
Macro: 2MP, f/2.4
Front Camera(s)
16MP, f/2.45
Port(s)
USB Type-C
Audio
Dual speakers
Dolby Atmos certification
Hi-Res Audio certification
Connectivity
Dual SIM 5G+5G
4G LTE
360° NFC
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
GPS/AGPS, Beidou, Glonass, QZSS, Galileo
Software
Realme UI 3.0 based on Android 12
Colors
Asphalt Black
Sprint White
Nitro Blue
About this article: Realme sent my colleague Rich Woods and me each a unit of the Realme GT Neo 3 Naruto Edition. Realme did not have any input in this article.
Realme GT Neo 3 Naruto Edition: What’s in the bo.. uh, what’s in the scroll?
I have been vocal in my critique of unnecessary phone variants that are often just a new paint job (like the “Product Red” iPhones or Olympic Edition Galaxy S devices). To me, brands have to put more effort than just slapping a logo or a new color, and this Naruto edition gets off to a good start with an unusual packaging: it comes in a package that looks like a giant ninja scroll that can be seen in the manga/anime.
This packaging is mostly made of plastic and rubber, with the burgundy flap made of faux leather. The outside of the scroll has a nice inscribed logo that adds to the feeling like some effort has been made to manufacture this thing.
There’s a buckle that unravels the scroll. I thought this was how the phone would be revealed like I’d unravel to find the phone wrapped inside. But nope — the scroll is purely decoration, it just unfolds looking like a dinner table placemat. Instead, one end of the core opens up like a drawer to reveal the phone box.
The box is covered by a cardboard sleeve housing a warranty paper and a SIM ejector tool that’s also Naruto-themed.
Lift the cardboard flap and the phone is inside, along with a transparent silicon case, a 150W charging brick, and a USB-C cable. The silicon case is a generic one with no special design, but the charging brick gets an orange paint job to match the back of the phone, which has been painted to look like the titular character Naruto’s outfit.
In promotional images, there appears to be a Naruto-themed portable battery along with some stickers included with the package; but neither my colleague Rich nor I got them — the photo below shows everything that was included in our packages. Perhaps we did not get the final retail unit? I have reached out to Realme but have not heard back. I’ll update this article if/when I do.
The visually striking “metallic” camera module appears to be just a paint job over the original phone’s glass camera module — despite the visuals depicting bolts and etching, there is no texture that can be felt by the finger.
The only textured part of the phone’s back that you can feel by touch are the three “whiskers” on each side, right underneath the camera module — this is referencing the same marks on the main character’s face (I am not familiar with the story of Naruto, but a Google search shows these are not whiskers, but in fact “marks created by a mystical nine-tailed fox”).
Boot up the phone and you’ll go through the exact same setup screens like any other Realme phone, but once you get to the home screen, you see Realme has designed a themed UI with Naruto wallpapers and themed icons. The icons have a very manga look, which is cool, but makes the phone screen look very busy.
Other than the themed icons and Naruto wallpapers (there are just three new in total), the rest of the software appears identical to Realme UI. Jump into settings, and the page looks exactly the same, likewise with the camera app. Also worth mentioning that, because this phone is only released in China, for now, there are no Google apps that come out of the box, but they can be installed easily directly from Realme’s app store or a trusted third-party source.
That’s about it as far as what sets this phone apart from the normal version of the Realme GT Neo 3. Everything else, from the Dimensity 8100 5G SoC to the “triple” lens camera array — I put quote marks in the word triple because one of the three lenses is a useless 2MP sensor so really just look at the camera system as a dual-camera system covering wide and ultra-wide. The display looks good, charging is insanely fast, and so on — it’s the same phone as the regular Realme GT Neo 3.
Priced at CNY 2,799 ($415) in China (this phone is only sold in China for now), it’s a really fair price for a phone that should appeal to fans of Naruto or collectors in general. There’s no word on if and when this special edition makes its way out of China.
