Xiaomi Could Be Working on a Wear OS SmartWatch

Xiaomi recently unveiled a high-end smartwatch at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The smartwatch, named the Xiaomi S1 Pro, runs on a custom operating system designed by Xiaomi called MIUI Watch OS, as is the case for most Chinese smartwatch makers.

Now, as per a report by 9to5 Android, the company is gearing up to launch its first smartwatch powered by Google's WearOS. The publication seemed quite confident in its reportage claiming the watch may hit markets by the end of the year and may run on Google Wear OS 3.

Xiaomi May Jump on the Wear OS Bandwagon

Most Chinese smartwatches run on proprietary operating systems that offer benefits, such as long battery life and simplified user interfaces with affordable price tags. However, having the Wear OS moniker unlocks a host of new features, bringing a host of inter-functional features and customization.

Now, as per reports, the MIUI OS on the Xiaomi S1 Pro smartwatch is based on Android, but since Google is banned from providing its services in China, it does not have WearOS. However, there are plans to launch the watch in global markets, which could mean Xiaomi may utilize the Wear OS license to make the smartwatch even more feature rich.

The best smartwatches currently (outside of Apple Watches) run on Google's Wear OS, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and the Fossil Gen 6.

Wear OS brings a host of customizations and inter functionalities, such as access to the Google Play Store, giving access to thousands of apps built for smartwatches, and almost as much personalization as Android for smartphones.

You also get access to a host of Google-exclusive features such as Google Fit, and other functionalities like LTE support, Google Assistant, and more. If the reports stand correct, Xiaomi could be looking to compete at the very top level against Samsung.