OnePlus Watch could challenge Apple Watch with two different designs

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The OnePlus Watch may also come with a sports variant

OnePlus Watch concept
(Image credit: Tech Score)

We know that the OnePlus Watch is on the way, but thanks to new patent filings we know there’s going to be more than one model. Or at least two different variants you can choose from.

We’ve already heard about there being two different OnePlus Watches, but not much else. It now looks like this patent from the German Patent and Trademark office (via TechnikNews) has revealed more details. It reveals two OnePlus Watches with the same body, but two different straps. 

Smartwatches come with a range of straps, sure, but it’s the material that tells us a bit more about what the OnePlus Watch has in store. The patent reveals that the straps will be made out of leather (or a leather substitute) and something akin to silicone.

Leather is traditionally the kind of strap you’d wear if you wore the watch in more professional or fashion-conscious situations, Silicone is more suited for fitness since it can handle water and sweat much more effectively.

OnePlus watch patent

(Image credit: Technik News)

The patent does reveal you can swap out the bands, as you would with any other smartwatch. The question is whether the hardware would differ.

After all, the Apple Watch Sport had the same internals as the Apple Watch, but cost $200 less. That was down to it using Aluminium in place of stainless steel, Ion-X glass instead of the stronger sapphire, a plastic back plate and fewer interchangeable straps.

OnePlus could do the same here, by using less impressive materials on a fitness variant. That way it can offer a cheaper option for people who don’t necessarily need an elegant looking watch all the time.

If the rumors hold true, OnePlus will beat the Apple Watch 7 to market by several months. And we're presuming that the company will attempt to compete on features and price, just as it does in the smartphone category. The Apple Watch SE starts at just $279, so that's likely a closer competitor to the OnePlus Watch. 

OnePlus may just be patenting two different bands so that people have the option to pick and choose which one they use. Of course, patents don’t always get put into practice, so we're just going to have to wait and see what happens.

Tom Pritchard
Tom Pritchard
UK Phones Editor

Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.