The OnePlus Watch 3’s Rotating Crown Actually Does Something This Time

The OnePlus Watch 2 was excellent, but an annoying aspect of the hardware was that the rotating crown didn’t actually work with anything in Wear OS. With the OnePlus Watch 3, the rotating crown actually works.

OnePlus has already announced that the OnePlus Watch 3 is officially launching on February 18, and now the drip-feed of additional details and teasers has begun. First on the list, a big improvement to the rotating crown.

Speaking to TechRadar, OnePlus Europe CMO Celina Shi says that one of the hardware improvements on OnePlus Watch 3 is the addition of a real rotating crown.

The rotating crown has been a key part of many smartwatches for years, popularized primarily by the Apple Watch. Most Wear OS smartwatches have also used the tech, including Google’s Pixel Watch and products from Fossil, Mobvoi, and other brands. But the OnePlus Watch 2 ignored it, rather equipping a “rotating” crown that only physically rotated, lacking any ability to use that rotation to interact with the software as has become so common on other watches. The rotating movement is generally tied to scrolling or zoom in the software, and can be helpful for quickly navigating the small screen.

For the OnePlus Watch 3, the rotating crown will indeed interact with Wear OS, making “navigating through apps and menus efficient and intuitive.”

Shi explains:

We put much focus on design with the OnePlus Watch 2 and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. But we did hear calls from our community to develop the rotating crown to offer functionality and an alternative way to navigate the device. With the ability to both press and rotate, the rotating crown makes navigating through apps and menus efficient and intuitive – and ultimately the user experience even better.

The interview also goes on to discuss the OnePlus Watch 3’s bigger battery and, in turn, improved endurance, as well as teasing some durability enhancements.

OnePlus Watch 3 launches on February 18.

More on OnePlus:

• OnePlus 13 ‘Mini’ reportedly pairs two 50MP cameras with 6.31-inch display
• OnePlus Watch 3 officially launches February 18 with Wear OS and 120 hours of battery
• OnePlus announces new Health Laboratory ahead of upcoming OnePlus Watch

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