OnePlus Watch 2 renders show a smartwatch with the confidence to take on Apple and Samsung

There's a new button layout and bigger screen

OnePlus Watch review
(Image credit: OnePlus)

If you’ve been wondering what the OnePlus Watch 2 will look like, we may have the answer. New renders claiming to have been created from images of a prototype Watch 2 have hit the web.

The trio of renders released by mysmartprice in conjunction with reliable leaker OnLeaks show us what the OnePlus Watch 2 could look like.

Keeping in line with previous rumours, the smartwatch in the renders has a circular display and two body colours - black and silver. 

There is a noticeable design difference between these leaked Watch 2 images and the original OnePlus Watch - with the new device featuring an angular protrusion to the right of the watch face.

This extra piece of the framework houses two buttons, a circular one at the top and an oval at the bottom. The original OnePlus Watch also had two buttons on its right side, but these sat flusher with the natural curve of the circular frame.

The new placements for these buttons may look a little odd, but it could make them easier to press - especially if you’re in the middle of a workout and you don’t necessarily want to look down at your watch.

OnePlus Watch 2 specs also leaked

OnLeaks also offered up some details on the OnePlus Watch 2 specs, claiming the smartwatch will have a 1.43-inch AMOLED display. This would mean the new watch has a larger screen than its predecessor (1.39-inch), but it will be smaller than the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Apple Watch Series 9.

Under the hood, the OnePlus Watch 2 is said to feature Qualcomm’s dedicated wearable chipset, the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1, which is currently found in the Huawei Watch 4 Pro.

There’s a more powerful chip on the market (the W5+ Gen 1) which features in the Google Pixel Watch 2 among others, but this isn’t the variant which has been quoted in the OnePlus Watch 2 leaks - and it may be because OnePlus is looking to keep the price down by using the W5 Gen 1 chip.

A separate leaker has also claimed the OnePlus Watch 2 will run Google’s Wear OS 4 (which matches previous rumours), instead of the custom operating system its predecessor had. It would mean the Watch 2 would have access to a wider suite of apps via the Play Store.

While it’s always advisable to take leaks with a pinch of salt, much of what we’ve seen here has been hinted at previously and OnLeaks has been a reliable source of leaks over the years. 

Thankfully, we don’t have long to wait to find out if this information is accurate with the OnePlus Watch 2 expected to arrive alongside the OnePlus 12 in January - and both devices could arrive before the year is out in China.

John McCann

John has been a technology journalist for more than a decade, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He’s reported on pretty much every area of consumer technology, from laptops, tablets, smartwatches and smartphones to smart speakers, automotive, headphones and more. During his time in journalism, John has written for TechRadar, T3, Shortlist, What Laptop, Windows 8 magazine, Gizmodo UK, Saga Magazine and Saga Exceptional, and he’s appeared in the Evening Standard and Metro newspapers.

Outside of work, John is a passionate Watford FC and Green Bay Packers fan, enjoys a Sunday afternoon watching the F1, and is also a Guinness World Record Holder.