The Huawei Watch 3 intends to showcase the best features in a single device
HUAWEI has certainly seen its fair share of action in the smartphone and wearable device markets, having risen to deliver top-notch hardware back when it was still in the US' good books before its fall from grace that led to a branching off in software development.
Back then, the Huawei Watch was powered by Android Wear and it was certainly a looker.
Today, you will not find Android Wear powering this smartwatch, as it runs on Huawei's very own HarmonyOS, which is actually based on the LiteOS, but comes with far more bells and whistles.
FIRST IMPRESSION
The Huawei Watch 3 is a relatively good looking timepiece that does not go overboard. I loved the way the stainless steel body and black strap looked around my wrist, although I would venture that the circular OLED display looks too large on the average female wrist. You can basically wear it to just about any function without looking out of place.
The rubber strap did not pose any problem even when I wore it during my runs, but then again, I have not found myself being allergic to other materials used in different timepieces so far.
Right in the centre is the stunning circular OLED display that has a display density of 326 pixels per inch. While the edges are slightly curved just like its predecessor the Watch GT 2, this design choice makes it more natural and easier to perform the different swipes in navigating the HarmonyOS interface. I also did not have any trouble checking out the display under bright sunlight as the brightness level of 1,000 nits certainly helped.
Moving on from the external looks, the rotating crown located at the 2 o'clock position piqued my interest right from the start. Taking an obvious cue from Apple's playbook, Huawei's implementation of a digital crown is well executed with the Watch 3. I could navigate the user interface confidently when rotating it, with the haptic feedback being just right as I scrolled through pop-up notifications, lists and menus.
THINGS TO IMPROVE
First of all, it is a hassle to set up the Huawei Watch 3. While I did not have an iPhone to test it with, my experience with an Android handset did not prove any better.
You will need to install the latest version of Huawei Health from the AppGallery, as the Google Play version does not support the Watch 3. There was a slip of paper containing the QR code to the AppGallery link in the box which could be easily missed.
After installing the Huawei Health app from the AppGallery, you'd think it would be smooth sailing from there, right? Wrong! You would first need to update HarmonyOS to version 2.0.0, which weighed in at a massive 1.9GB! I had recurring issues with the Watch 3's connection to my WiFi network. While three smartphones, two laptops and a smart TV did not have any issues staying connected, the Watch 3 simply refused to recognise my WiFi network password, and when connected, there was no data connection established.
USER INTERFACE
Those who have used a Huawei smartwatch or a Wear OS device would more or less be able to find their way around the Watch 3's user interface.
Swiping down will show you a list of shortcuts or quick settings, while swiping up will display notifications. Swiping right will reveal the fitness tiles and swiping left shows the weather tile.
In addition to all that, you can access Huawei's very own Celia AI voice assistant by long-pressing the secondary function key that is located at the 5 o'clock position. Pressing the secondary function key once will launch a list of workout programmes for you to choose from, although you can change that function from the settings menu. Here's a word of caution: Do not expect Celia AI to deliver performance that is on par with Google Assistant.
OPERATING SYSTEM
Being the first wearable device from Huawei to ship with the company's in-house HarmonyOS, it shares some resemblance to Huawei's LiteOS, but packs in a greater degree of functionality. It felt more responsive to my touch, while scrolling through icons feels smoother. The presence of the AppGallery store also gives it a sense of being more complete, but as I mentioned earlier, the lack of useful apps in the AppGallery works against it.
The Huawei Watch 3 has a 5ATM water resistance rating that makes it safe to indulge in activities around water, and yes, you can go swimming with one around your wrist.
CONCLUSION
The Huawei Watch 3 is priced at RM1,699. Get it if you want an all-round smartwatch that looks great, has exceptional build quality, and long battery life.
Rating: 3/5