What it’s essential know
- HMD World, Android cellphone OEM and former Nokia licensee, allegedly plans to make two Put on OS watches.
- The HMD Rubber 1 might have a built-in 2MP digital camera, 400mAh battery, tap-to-pay, and well being monitoring with HR and SpO2.
- The HMD Rubber 1S would have a smaller OLED show and battery with no built-in digital camera or NFC, however nonetheless have 5ATM safety and Qi charging.
Put on OS has had a resurgence in recent times, bringing Android OEMs like OnePlus and Xiaomi again into the fold. Now, HMD World — which has by no means made a Put on OS or Android Put on watch — could have two Android smartwatches within the pipeline.
Frequent HMD World leaker @smashx_60 (through NotebookCheck) posted final Thursday that the corporate would launch the HMD Rubber 1 and HMD Rubber 1S, with each watches operating Put on OS.
The Rubber 1 sounds just like the premium mannequin, with a 1.85-inch OLED show, 400mAh battery capability, Bluetooth 5.3 and WiFi help, NFC funds, HR and SpO2 sensors, and 2MP digital camera sensor. On condition that show dimension, it most certainly makes use of a squircle show, which might be a primary for Put on OS.
HMD RUBBER 1- oled 1.85″ show – 5ATM Waterproof – BT5.3, WiFi, NFC, Accelerometer, coronary heart charge, SpO2- 2MP CAM- Put on OS- 400mAh, USB-C, QiHMD RUBBER 1S- oled 1.07″ – 5ATM Waterproof – BT5.0, WiFi, Accelerometer, coronary heart charge, SpO2- Put on OS- 290mAh, USB-C, QiMay 29, 2025
We do not know what goal this watch digital camera would serve, however provided that Apple allegedly canceled its camera-embedded Watch in May, it is intriguing to see HMD take a shot at one. If it faces upward, it might help selfies, face authentication, or video calling; if it factors outwards, it might take photographs, although not with superb decision high quality.
We assume the HMD Rubber 1S is the funds mannequin, with a 1.07-inch OLED show, 290mAh battery, Bluetooth 5.0, and no NFC or built-in digital camera. It does have an accelerometer for step counting and actions, with HR and blood oxygen information for (presumably) well being and sleep monitoring.
We have no leaked particulars on value, launch date, or whether or not the HMD Rubber 1 would use the present Wear OS 5 or a special model. However the identify “Rubber” implies that it could use rubber supplies, probably to make them sturdy sufficient to outlive tough remedy from children.
These HMD watches could goal children quite than adults
Pocket book Verify factors out that Nokia partnered with Xplora, “a number one supplier of smartwatches for kids,” final October. Their promised purpose is to ship “accountable and conscious units for younger folks” and “introduce them to the world of expertise in a protected and balanced manner.”
It is a rising focus for HMD, which additionally introduced the HMD Fusion X1 phone for teens earlier this yr. And with regards to kids’ smartwatches, lots of our present favorites have both one or two cameras, mostly a selfie cam for calling mother and father.
Regular smartwatches hardly ever want cameras. They should sync with a cellphone to work, so why bulk up the watch with an inferior sensor to no matter’s in your cellphone? However a child could not have a cellphone but, as a standalone watch is simpler for fogeys to watch and prevents an excessive amount of display screen time.
Google and Samsung introduced Galaxy Watch for Kids earlier this yr, including a brand new model of Put on OS to the Galaxy Watch 7 LTE with devoted “teacher-approved” children’ apps, exercise monitoring through Google Household Hyperlink, and GPS-based location monitoring.
Maybe Google will announce a extra normal “Put on OS for Children,” one which’s designed to work with squircle shows — probably much like the Fitbit Ace LTE OS.
The leak did not point out LTE calling, GPS geofencing, or different frequent children’ watch options, so it is not a assure that the Rubber 1 sequence targets children. It is simply the most certainly risk.
Regardless of the target market, we’re simply as fascinated by the thought of the primary squircle Wear OS watch. Wear OS 6 shapes its content material for rounded show edges; it would not match a square-shaped show. But when the HMD Rubber 1 has a 1.85-inch OLED show, that is far too massive for any regular round show, making a squircle most certainly.
That might require a severe Put on OS UI redesign for Google. And if it pulls off this redesign for HMD World, different OEMs like Samsung might use the squircle UI for their very own watches, in idea.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 LTE might be transformed right into a standalone children’ watch, supplied you could have a Samsung cellphone to set it up. In any other case, it is our prime choose for best Android smartwatch available on the market, with quick efficiency, a vibrant show, nice well being sensor accuracy, and 4 years of Put on OS software program help.
