OnePlus Watch update just fixed the biggest problem

By Jordan Palmer
published

It notably adds an Always-on Display option

OnePlus Watch review
(Image credit: Future)

OnePlus' first wearable, the OnePlus Watch, met with some less-than-favorable reviews from some publications. One of the main complaints was that the watch lacked an Always-on Display (AOD). It looks like OnePlus is addressing this issue.

A few weeks ago, OnePlus let us know that it would fix these problems in future updates and here we are. Some users have reported receiving an update on their watches that adds AOD and a remote camera remote function, plus some other housekeeping stuff.

Our own Kate Kozuch really liked the OnePlus Watch in her review. She praised the performance and battery life. At $159, it's practically an impulse buy for a lot of people when it comes to wearables. The OnePlus Watch punches well above its weight and succeeds in a lot of areas.

Other reviewers weren't as pleased with the performance, citing poor calculations and a less-than-stellar UI.

AOD should have been included from the very beginning, though it's not all that surprising considering that OnePlus didn't include an AOD option on its phones until very recently. 

However, some of the watch's weaknesses are addressed in this update. It also adds a marathon workout mode to an already large register of available workout modes. 

The full changelog includes the following:

  • Add Always-on Display dial
  • Remote Control Camera function
  • Add Marathon workout
  • Optimize system UI details
  • Fix known issues and improve system stability.

OnePlus does stress, however, that AOD will have a significant impact on battery life. It could halve how long the watch lasts until it needs a charge again, so keep that in mind. AOD on watches is fine, but if you're wanting to get the most about your watch, you may want to consider keeping it off.

And you can now control your camera via your OnePlus Watch, which is nifty. OnePlus is rolling this update slowly to test for stability, and once it confirms that it's a workable update, more users will receive it.

Jordan Palmer
Jordan Palmer
Phones Editor

Jordan is the Phones Editor for Tom's Guide, covering all things phone-related. He's written about phones for over six years and plans to continue for a long while to come. He loves nothing more than relaxing in his home with a book, game, or his latest personal writing project. Jordan likes finding new things to dive into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Outside of work, you can find him poring over open-source software and his studies.