The latest Wear OS 3 smartwatch, the TicWatch Pro 5 from Mobvoi, is now available, but it comes with a bigger 24mm band that’s abnormal on other smartwatches.
The TicWatch Pro 5 is a big smartwatch, measuring in at 50.15 x 48 x 12.2mm, the largest in Mobvoi’s lineup thus far, but not a big leap from the 47 x 48 x 12.3mm of the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra. Yet, that oddly led to the watch shipping with an abnormal band size.
Where most smartwatches in the Wear OS world have typically used either 20mm or 22mm spring pin bands – even the proprietary bands on the Pixel Watch are 20mm when using adapters – the TicWatch Pro 5 uses a 24mm band. This is different even in Mobvoi’s own lineup, with every prior TicWatch Pro model using a 22mm band.
Why the change? The bigger size is an obvious reason, but in an email, Mobvoi explained that the change was “purely an aesthetic move.”
Admittedly, a 22mm band might look visually just a bit out of place on this larger smartwatch, but there are certainly some major negatives to this change. For one, owners of prior TicWatch Pro models making the upgrade will lose all of their previous bands, as they’ll no longer fit. There are adapters available for 24mm to 22mm, but they’re a bit clunky. Further, Mobvoi is also considerably limiting the number of bands available for TicWatch Pro 5 owners, as 24mm sizes aren’t nearly as common on the market today. It’s still better than a proprietary connector, but it’s not ideal.
It’s an odd move, to say the least, and something you’ll definitely want to keep in mind if you’re looking to pick up the $349 watch. Mobvoi is also selling its silicone band in orange, green, and blue for $20.
More on Wear OS:
- Wear OS 3 for TicWatch inches towards release, Mobvoi explains 7-month delay
- TicWatch Pro 5 brings Wear OS 3, rotating crown, 80-hour battery for $349
- Google announces Wear OS 4, Gmail and Calendar for watches, more
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