OnePlus watch 4 makes a surprise debut with a major software upgrade

At a glance:

• titanium alloy case with 47mm LTPO OLED display and up to 3,000 nits peak brightness
• ships with Oxygen OS Watch 8 built on Wear OS 6 (Android 16) out of the box
• upgraded IP69 durability rating and lighter weight than the Watch 3

What the watch offers

The OnePlus Watch 4 is now listed on the brand’s official site, confirming a titanium alloy chassis that measures 47.4 mm square and 11 mm thick, and tips the scales at roughly 43 g without a strap. Its 466 × 466‑pixel LTPO OLED panel is protected by sapphire crystal and delivers a dense 310 ppi display. While the spec sheet notes a standard 600‑nit brightness, the sports mode can push a staggering 3,000 nits under bright sunlight, a claim that puts the watch among the brightest wearables on the market.

Beyond the glass, the device retains the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 SoC and BES 2800 co‑processor that powered the OnePlus Watch 2 and 3. Memory stays at 2 GB RAM with 32 GB of internal storage, and a 646 mAh battery is rated for three days of heavy use or up to 16 days in power‑save mode. Connectivity includes Bluetooth 5.2, dual‑band L1 + L5 GNSS, Wi‑Fi on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, and NFC, but notably omits eSIM support. Durability certifications now cover 5 ATM water resistance, IP68, IP69 and MIL‑STD‑810H, marking a step up from its predecessor.

Software and ecosystem

The most eye‑catching upgrade is the operating system: the Watch 4 ships with Oxygen OS Watch 8, which runs on Wear OS 6.0 and is based on Android 16. This means users get the latest Google smartwatch features—gesture navigation, improved health tracking, and a refreshed UI—right from launch, rather than waiting for a later update as was the case with the Watch 2 and 3. OnePlus also bundles its Gemini AI assistant directly into the watch, enabling voice commands and contextual suggestions without extra configuration.

Because the three recent OnePlus watches share the same Snapdragon W5 chip, the company has pledged that the Wear OS 6 update promised for the Watch 2 and 3 later this year should be straightforward to roll out. If successful, all three generations will run the same software stack, simplifying app development and potentially expanding the ecosystem of third‑party Wear OS apps available to OnePlus users.

Pricing, availability and market outlook

The Watch 4 will be offered in two finishes: Evergreen Titanium and Midnight Titanium. Pricing and launch dates have not been disclosed, but analysts expect OnePlus to target a price point similar to the Watch 3, which launched around $350 USD. The combination of premium materials, a high‑brightness display, and the latest Wear OS version positions the device as a serious contender in a smartwatch market that has been dominated by Samsung, Apple and Google’s own Pixel line.

If OnePlus can deliver the promised software updates across its existing lineup and maintain a competitive price, the Watch 4 could inject fresh competition into the Wear OS segment, which has struggled for market share. Retail boxes have already been spotted, suggesting a global rollout may be imminent, though regional availability and carrier partnerships remain to be confirmed.