Chinese OEM Xiaomi has leaked its smartwatch sketch online, showing what the company has in store for customers this Fall, so it seems to be a tradition that sketches lead to gadget arrivals. If the process fits here, then yet another Chinese rival will launch its own smartwatch soon. That Chinese OEM? Meizu.
Meizu is known for its Pro devices, so the company has something of a fan base when it comes to sheer raw performance, but the company now wants to make it in the smartwatch arena, too. A new sketch has surfaced online, pointing to what could be a first Meizu smartwatch to hit the market later this year. Meizu released the sketch on the company's microblogging website Monday morning.
The Meizu smartwatch will take on a circular design, if the sketch is legitimate, and shows off one button on the right side (as opposed to two on the right side with the Samsung Gear S2 and a circular button you can turn to zoom in on the Apple Watch). This isn't the first time Meizu has hinted at a smartwatch launch; just last October, the company leaked pictures of what was to be the Meizu Blue Charm, a low-cost smartwatch for the Chinese market, but the company didn't launch the product in the end.
The Meizu smartwatch sketch shows that there may be at least two designs, one that is near bezel-less while the other has some significant amount of it (these may just be two different design choices instead of two competing design types, but we're not given any hints).
Among the drawings, we do see something of a small smartwatch with a smaller display than the other two -- indicative of a lady smartwatch (since lady watches like lady rings come smaller than men's jewelry choices). One thing we can see in the top right corner of the sketch itself are the words "Run" and "Run HOURS," words that hint that this smartwatch will also have (to no one's surprise) fitness tracking capabilities. We imagine that it will have at least splash resistance if not water resistance. The wristbands, one of which appears to be metal, are removable and can likely be substituted for other 20mm wristbands on the market (we'll have to wait for confirmation from Meizu).
We have no additional details except to say that the first Meizu smartwatch will look as fashionable and well-crafted as many others on the market. The smartwatch has been rumored not to run Android Wear, and Meizu was considering Samsung's homegrown Tizen OS as its platform of choice last year when the Blue Charm photos began appearing online (though the company could still go with another platform entirely).
Meizu does seem to be going for something of a traditional look here, seeing as there are a number of customers who want a smartwatch that doesn't look "dorky." I do think that smartwatches that are smart shouldn't be designed "in shame," as though they lack smart capabilities, but that's me.
What do you think? Excited to see Meizu emerge with a smartwatch? What do you think of their phones? Feel free to share.
