Huawei Watch: Big Android wearable

Huawei made two of 2015’s better Android phones. It also makes watches. Huawei’s first watch, the Talkband B2 was unlike any other wearable device before or after.

The newer model, called Huawei Watch, looks more like an analogue watch. It’s bigger than most watches and is round. It looks conventional and comes with a conventional watch strap. There are metal and leather straps to choose from as well as a range of frames.

You can also choose from a range of digital watch faces. These are not Huawei styles, you’ll find the same ones on other Android Wear devices. Some are futuristic, but most make more than a nod to classic watch styles.

A big watch

Huawei Watch is a shade over 40mm in diameter. That’s almost too big for my skinny wrist. I suspect many women and smaller men might find it too big for comfort.

Despite the size, it’s not heavy and is comfortable to wear.

Big means a readable screen. I found the Huawei display is easier to read than the Apple Watch display. In particular, the text is easier to read. Even after cranking up the size on the Apple Watch and choosing the bold option, I still found it hard going.

Battery life is important with wearables. Huawei claims two days. That squares with experience. I could almost get through three days. Charging the battery is easy enough and quick. It takes an hour.

The Huawei Watch competes with theApple Watch. Unlike the Apple Watch I didn’t find I had any allergy problems with it. However to be fair to Apple, I didn’t wear the Huawei Watch for more than a few days.

Good looking

Huawei's basic software, that is time-keeping, fitness and weather forecast reports, is as good as or better than the equivalent software on Apple’s device.

Figuring out the weather beyond temperature and a single icon is not so easy on the Apple Watch. Huawei weather app is better.

The Huawei Watch is an Android Wear device. So if you have a phone you can use it to answer phone calls, read messages and so on. As you’d expect it works with Android phones. It also works with iPhone.

Huawei's call and message functions seem pointless. Dealing with incoming calls and messages is easier on a phone and because you need a phone to handle them with a watch, there's built-in redundancy.

Distracting

Much the same goes for notifications. I want fewer notifications, not more placed to be irritated by them.

Having wrist alerts is a distraction. Sure there are some cases where it might be useful when, say, travelling, but not for most of the time.

In theory you can command the Watch by voice, but this barely works. I never managed to complete a voice task. It may work for you, but don't bank on it.

Android Wear looks promising at first sight. It’s pretty enough. Yet it has an unfinished, beta software.

Things don’t always work as you might expect. As a consequence, Android Wear often feels confusing and messy. It lets the phone down. Hopefully Google will update the software. It is still a generation away from being ready for everyday users.

Huawei Watch verdict

Huawei Watch prices start at NZ$650. You need to have a suitable phone as well. That means a recent Android or iPhone.

If you work hands free most of the day it could be the right choice for you. if you like the idea of constant notifications throughout the day, then you’ll love this.

It looks great but Huawei asks a lot of money for not much functionality. To be fair the same applies to all smartwatches, for now, they are little more than jewellery.