There's no escaping the consequences of a tightened US trade ban, but Huawei keeps putting a strong foot forward despite the odds stacked against it. At Huawei Developer Conference 2020, the Chinese OEM is now launching newer generations of its popular wearables in the form of the Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro and the Huawei FreeBuds Pro TWS.
Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro
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Specifications |
Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro |
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Dimensions & Weight |
46.7 x 46.7 x 11.4 mm, 52g |
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Display |
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Watchband options |
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Internal Storage |
4GB |
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Connectivity |
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Other features |
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Sensors |
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Battery |
455mAh |
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Durability |
5ATM water resistance |
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OS |
Huawei LiteOS |
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Colors |
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The Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro is the next addition to the Watch portfolio, taking up duties after the Watch GT 2 and Watch GT 2e. The Watch has a 1.39" circular OLED display with a 454 x 454 resolution and a Sapphire Glass surface. The Watch GT 2 runs straps of 46mm, and the body is made of Titanium while the back is made of Ceramic. You also get other specs like 4GB of internal storage, GPS, Bluetooth 5.1, and a 455mAh battery. The Watch GT 2 runs on Huawei's LiteOS, which isn't really a bad thing since Android Wear isn't exactly the best choice for a wearable. However, you don't get LTE connectivity.
What makes the Watch GT 2 Pro very interesting is the fact that it supports proper wireless charging. This means that you don't need to fiddle with finicky proprietary chargers to actually charge the watch. This addresses one of the most common pain points with smartwatches in general. With wireless charging gaining popularity over the years, and the fact that several high-end flagships can also reverse wireless charge, you should have fewer situations where your watch dies on you and you do not have access to the watch's charger. Huawei is also claiming 14 days of use and up to 30 hours of use with GPS, so the Watch GT 2 Pro appears to be pretty sorted, at least on paper.
Of course, the Watch GT 2 Pro can also monitor heart rate and SpO2, and track fitness activities. Huawei is claiming over 100 workout modes on the Watch, with dedicated modes for golfing and skiing. There is also an offline navigator, which when combined with the Watch GT 2 Pro's GPS, will be helpful for trekking and other runs. The outdoor assistant on the Watch also guides you with sunrise and sunset times, moon phases, tide timings, and unusual weather alerts.
Pricing and availability details for the Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro have not yet been revealed. We can expect the wearable to make its way to several regions of Europe.
Huawei FreeBuds Pro
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Specification |
Huawei FreeBuds Pro |
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Dimensions & Weight |
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Battery and Charging |
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Speaker and Mic |
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Connectivity |
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Sensors and other features |
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Colors |
Ceramic White, Carbon Black, Silver Frost |
The Huawei FreeBuds Pro takes over duties from the FreeBuds 3. The FreeBuds 3 were the first ones from Huawei to feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and the FreeBuds Pro one up this with a design that promises better noise isolation thanks to the ear tips. The design has changed rather revolutionarily, with a more cubic design for the stem that clearly differentiates these truly wireless earbuds from the others on the market.
Much liked the FreeBuds 3, the FreeBuds Pro employs HiSilicon's Kirin A1 Bluetooth chipset that lets it enjoy Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity support. The buds also feature 11mm "ultra-large amplitude" dynamic drivers, and a 3 mic system for active noise cancellation. Huawei claims up to 40dB of noise cancellation depth, compared to the 38dB depth on the Sony WF-1000XM3, meaning that you could get an even better experience. The buds also feature three different noise cancellation modes (Cozy, General, Ultra) to allow users to adjust according to their needs. There is also a Natural Awareness Episode, which is reminiscent of the different implementations of Ambient Mode that others have employed, and a Voice Enhancement Mode. Huawei also promises up to 30 hours of playback, but we figure that also includes the battery from the case.
Again, Huawei has not shared pricing and availability details. But the FreeBuds Pro will be available in Carbon Black, Ceramic White, and Silver Frost colors.