With smartwatches, you generally have two choices. One, to get great battery life. Two, to get a vast variety of third party apps. Unlike the Samsung and Apple counterparts, Huawei has offered part one on its wearables. Now, it is aiming to expand in the territory of the second type. Huawei has released a third-party app for its wearable for the first time.
Fitify is the first wearable app in the fitness and health category outside China. It is launching on Huawei’s Watch GT 2 Pro (review). The app combines physiotherapy and sports science knowledge with AI and computer science to deliver a personalised workout experience for mobile devices and wearables. It has a database of over 900 exercises, which is the biggest database listed on AppGallery. Fitify now helps more than 10 million users get fit in over 170 countries and 18 languages.
“By releasing the Fitify app on Huawei’s wearables, Huawei is signalling its determination to work with developers and brands to accommodate apps in its growing portfolio of wearables. Previously the company’s wearables overseas were typically preloaded with in-house apps, but following the introduction of the Huawei Watch GT2 Pro last September, the company is now open to brands and content providers for third-party app development,” said the company in a press release.
“We are already the global market leader for wearables quickly gaining market share for the category across many geographies,” said Derek Yu, Vice President of Huawei CEE & Nordic at Huawei Consumer Business Group. “In Q3 2020, we shipped 10.7 million wrist wearable products globally, growing 88.1% year-on-year to a market share of 19.5%². By making Fitify our debut third-party app for our wearable products we are sending a message to the many other high quality app developers. Our wearables are becoming incredibly popular, and you can benefit by being part of the Huawei AppGallery and wearables ecosystem.”
HUAWEI launched a host of new devices at the annual HUAWEI Developer Conference 2020 last month, covering everything from laptops and earbuds to smartwatches and fitness bands. Now, the Chinese giant is bringing three of its new devices – the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro, HUAWEI MateBook 14 2020 laptop, and the HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro smartwatch to the UK market. All three devices are now up for grabs in the UK from the official HUAWEI online store as well as authorized retail outlets.
Starting with the HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro, it is priced at £299.99 and will be up for grabs in two color options – Night Black (Sport Edition) and Nebula Grey (Classic Edition). And for those who purchase HUAWEI’s latest smartwatch before October 20, they’ll be rewarded with the company’s FreeBuds 3 wireless earbuds. You can check out our HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro review to find more details about the areas where the device excels and the drawbacks you need to keep in mind before splurging on it.
Coming to the HUAWEI MateBook 14 laptop, it costs £749.99 for the variant with an AMD Ryzen 5 processor, while the higher-end model that draws power from the AMD Ryzen 7 silicon will set you back by £949.99. Buyers who grab the laptop before October 20 will receive the HUAWEI MatePad 10.4 tablet with the official keyboard case as a freebie. You can find more details about the HUAWEI MateBook 14 2020 laptop in our coverage here.
Lastly, the brand new noise-canceling HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro earbuds are also up for sale in the UK market priced at £169.99. You can choose between three colorways – Carbon Black, Ceramic White and Sliver Frost. And if you make the purchase before October 20, you will get a freebie code which can be redeemed to win the HUAWEI Band 4 fitness band. Read our launch article to know more about the features and capabilities of the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro here.
We’ve been using the HUAWEI Watch GT2 Pro as our daily driver for close to one month. Usage scenarios detailed within the review below.
I was fortunate enough to live and train with the original HUAWEI Watch GT2, and then with the more affordable Watch GT 2e. They are great lifestyle and training companions, and I enjoyed my time with both of them long after my review period.
With the recently announced HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro, the company addresses a totally different target audience. If the base model GT 2 got a more affordable GT 2e companion, the GT 2 Pro is the watch’s premium version. You can not only wear it to the gym or dressed casually, but you can also dress up and still use the watch, which no longer looks like a sports-only accessory.
While most of the things are unchanged, there are some differences though compared to previous models. We’ll check those out in our HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro review below.
The looks
The Watch GT 2 e was aimed at the active users, so HUAWEI flattened the side buttons to avoid accidental presses if you’re bending your wrist during your workouts.
For the Watch GT 2 Pro, the manufacturer returned to the original rounded buttons that were featured on the initial GT 2. However, the GT 2 Pro being a more elegant accessory, HUAWEI replaced the numbers on the watch dial with a more discrete signage consisting of a triangle at 12 o’clock, and subtle lines at every hour mark.
While still rubber, the watchband nicely imitates a leather strap to keep the elegant look consistent. This is the first aspect of the premium materials HUAWEI has been using for the GT 2 Pro.
Next is the watch case itself. It is now made of titanium, which is lighter and more durable. The watch face itself is sapphire glass, which is also more durable and deals with scratches better, while the watch’s backside is ceramic.
Last but not least, still in the looks department, the default watch face is an elegant one, called “Black Tie” (there are 13 pre-installed on the watch), for obvious reasons. You can, however, easily change it from within the HUAWEI Health app. You’ve got endless options to choose from.
The display – a 1.39-inch OLED panel with 454 x 454 resolution and 462 PPI – is gorgeous, but it should come as no surprise since the entire line-up features the same, beautiful panel.
What’s new
While previous generation GT2 models were pretty damn accurate in determining your heart rate and blood level oxygen, for the GT 2 Pro HUAWEI upgraded the sensor on the back. It now features a TruSeen 4.0+ sensor, which, according to the manufacturer, offers better light transmission and utilization, it’s more power efficient and features AI-assisted intelligent heart rate algorithms.
The other significant change, which is a very welcome one, is the addition of wireless charging. Sure, if you’re using the supplied charging pad, it makes no difference whether it’s a pogo-pin approach or a wireless charging approach, but with this charging technology, you can use your smartphone’s reverse wireless charging capabilities to charge your watch.
HUAWEI claims that a 5-minute charge offers you 10 hours of usage, and we’ve verified that to be true.
The smarts
The HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro features, more or less, the exact same software (LiteOS) that powers the predecessors. Sadly, it comes with the same cons we’ve mentioned with the occasion of our past reviews.
You still can’t act on notification, aside from scrolling through them and dismissing them, so forget about replying to a text message. And, while still on the topic, the watch still doesn’t support the display of emojis, so if you get a text or a WhatsApp message that only contains an emoji, like a , the notification will be empty.
Also, no payment options are supported on the Watch GT 2 Pro, similar to the two predecessors, which, of course, makes sense since, aside from the differences outlined in the segment above, this is, in reality, the same watch.
Unlike the GT 2e, but similar to the GT2, the GT 2 Pro allows you to take calls on the wrist. The loudspeaker (and it’s pretty loud) is back, with a very subtle opening between the two buttons, with the microphone being on the opposite side.
The Kirin A1 chip does a great job of keeping things fluid and snappy, but the lack of cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity means that the watch relies solely on the smartphone for its needs.
You can, however, train without your smartphone, as the GT 2 Pro does feature its own GPS antenna for all your tracking needs. Not only that, but there’s a new “Route Back” feature that relies on the recorded GPS data to help you find your way back should you get lost while being out.
Out of the 4GB of storage, 2GB are available for local music storage. You can listen to music without your smartphone while training, and you can pair any Bluetooth headphones or earbuds directly to the watch in order to achieve that.
In terms of battery life, in our experience, it lasted the advertised seven days. This is with ten cardio sessions per week, 5 CrossFit and weightlifting trainings, and two sessions of shooting baskets. Also, heart rate monitoring is continuous, and considering that the aforementioned sessions all imply the use of GPS, charging the watch every Sunday evening is an excellent run, considering other competitors barely make it through the day.
Fitness and Health aspects
The HUAWEI Health App is the HQ for everything fitness, sleep, and health-related. That’s where all your data is synced, from your training sessions to your heart rate, from your sleep records to your blood oxygen levels. You can find more details on the HUAWEI Health App by checking out its section in our Watch GT2 review.
The HUAWEI Health App is the HQ for everything fitness, sleep, and health-related. That’s where all your data is synced, from your training sessions to your heart rate, from your sleep records to your blood oxygen levels. You can find more details on the HUAWEI Health App by checking out its section in our Watch GT2 review.
The Watch GT 2 Pro supports more than 100 workout modes (sadly, still no basketball, HUAWEI!). Of those, 17 are professional modes, and 85 are custom modes, and new is the addition of Golf Mode and Skiing and Snowboarding Modem in addition to Cross Country Skiing.
When it comes to training, the watch records your heart rate pretty accurately, as long as you keep the contact between the sensor and your skin clean. This means that if you’re pushing hard and you’re sweating a lot, you might need to occasionally wipe your wrist (and/or the back of the watch) dry.
If you’re walking or running, it will also calculate your VO2Max, and compare it to a general benchmark of people your gender, age, etc. SpO2 readings are on-demand, and the results are synced back to the Health App.
Sleep tracking is also pretty accurate, with the watch precisely detection your bedtime and wake-up moments, with everything in between (sleep stages and awake time).
You can also set a benchmark for your stress level readout, which your watch takes during the day, to see exactly how bad or good of a day you’ve had, and whether you need to calm down by taking some breathing exercises, also available on the watch.
You can also set a benchmark for your stress level readout, which your watch takes during the day, to see exactly how bad or good of a day you’ve had, and whether you need to calm down by taking some breathing exercises, also available on the watch.
Pricing and availability
€349 is what you’ll have to pay for this premium version of the watch, but if you are in the US, there’s no word yet on whether it will officially be available, or you might have to import it yourself.
The Watch GT 2 Pro is available in two options: Sport (with a black rubber band, the one you see above), and a Classic variant with a brown leather strap.
The Watch GT 2 Pro is available in two options: Sport (with a black rubber band, the one you see above), and a Classic variant with a brown leather strap.
– no NFC, Cellular or Wi-Fi – no payment options – notification system needs more work – iOS experience inferior to Android
Conclusion
The original Watch GT2 was already a great smartwatch, to begin with. For the current model, HUAWEI took the Watch GT 2 Pro to the next level by using premium materials, upgrading the main heart-rate sensor, and adding in the convenience of wireless charging. Because of the extreme battery life, accurate health and fitness features, gorgeous display, and premium/classy appearance, the HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro is our Editor’s Choice for the best smartwatch in terms of looks, performance, and insane battery life.
We’ve been using the HUAWEI Watch GT2 Pro as our daily driver for close to one month. Usage scenarios detailed within the review below.
I was fortunate enough to live and train with the original HUAWEI Watch GT2, and then with the more affordable Watch GT 2e. They are great lifestyle and training companions, and I enjoyed my time with both of them long after my review period.
With the recently announced HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro, the company addresses a totally different target audience. If the base model GT 2 got a more affordable GT 2e companion, the GT 2 Pro is the watch’s premium version. You can not only wear it to the gym or dressed casually, but you can also dress up and still use the watch, which no longer looks like a sports-only accessory.
While most of the things are unchanged, there are some differences though compared to previous models. We’ll check those out in our HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro review below.
The looks
The Watch GT 2 e was aimed at the active users, so HUAWEI flattened the side buttons to avoid accidental presses if you’re bending your wrist during your workouts.
For the Watch GT 2 Pro, the manufacturer returned to the original rounded buttons that were featured on the initial GT 2. However, the GT 2 Pro being a more elegant accessory, HUAWEI replaced the numbers on the watch dial with a more discrete signage consisting of a triangle at 12 o’clock, and subtle lines at every hour mark.
While still rubber, the watchband nicely imitates a leather strap to keep the elegant look consistent. This is the first aspect of the premium materials HUAWEI has been using for the GT 2 Pro.
Next is the watch case itself. It is now made of titanium, which is lighter and more durable. The watch face itself is sapphire glass, which is also more durable and deals with scratches better, while the watch’s backside is ceramic.
Last but not least, still in the looks department, the default watch face is an elegant one, called “Black Tie” (there are 13 pre-installed on the watch), for obvious reasons. You can, however, easily change it from within the HUAWEI Health app. You’ve got endless options to choose from.
The display – a 1.39-inch OLED panel with 454 x 454 resolution and 462 PPI – is gorgeous, but it should come as no surprise since the entire line-up features the same, beautiful panel.
What’s new
While previous generation GT2 models were pretty damn accurate in determining your heart rate and blood level oxygen, for the GT 2 Pro HUAWEI upgraded the sensor on the back. It now features a TruSeen 4.0+ sensor, which, according to the manufacturer, offers better light transmission and utilization, it’s more power efficient and features AI-assisted intelligent heart rate algorithms.
The other significant change, which is a very welcome one, is the addition of wireless charging. Sure, if you’re using the supplied charging pad, it makes no difference whether it’s a pogo-pin approach or a wireless charging approach, but with this charging technology, you can use your smartphone’s reverse wireless charging capabilities to charge your watch.
HUAWEI claims that a 5-minute charge offers you 10 hours of usage, and we’ve verified that to be true.
The smarts
The HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro features, more or less, the exact same software (LiteOS) that powers the predecessors. Sadly, it comes with the same cons we’ve mentioned with the occasion of our past reviews.
You still can’t act on notification, aside from scrolling through them and dismissing them, so forget about replying to a text message. And, while still on the topic, the watch still doesn’t support the display of emojis, so if you get a text or a WhatsApp message that only contains an emoji, like a , the notification will be empty.
Also, no payment options are supported on the Watch GT 2 Pro, similar to the two predecessors, which, of course, makes sense since, aside from the differences outlined in the segment above, this is, in reality, the same watch.
Unlike the GT 2e, but similar to the GT2, the GT 2 Pro allows you to take calls on the wrist. The loudspeaker (and it’s pretty loud) is back, with a very subtle opening between the two buttons, with the microphone being on the opposite side.
The Kirin A1 chip does a great job of keeping things fluid and snappy, but the lack of cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity means that the watch relies solely on the smartphone for its needs.
You can, however, train without your smartphone, as the GT 2 Pro does feature its own GPS antenna for all your tracking needs. Not only that, but there’s a new “Route Back” feature that relies on the recorded GPS data to help you find your way back should you get lost while being out.
Out of the 4GB of storage, 2GB are available for local music storage. You can listen to music without your smartphone while training, and you can pair any Bluetooth headphones or earbuds directly to the watch in order to achieve that.
In terms of battery life, in our experience, it lasted the advertised seven days. This is with ten cardio sessions per week, 5 CrossFit and weightlifting trainings, and two sessions of shooting baskets. Also, heart rate monitoring is continuous, and considering that the aforementioned sessions all imply the use of GPS, charging the watch every Sunday evening is an excellent run, considering other competitors barely make it through the day.
Fitness and Health aspects
The HUAWEI Health App is the HQ for everything fitness, sleep, and health-related. That’s where all your data is synced, from your training sessions to your heart rate, from your sleep records to your blood oxygen levels. You can find more details on the HUAWEI Health App by checking out its section in our Watch GT2 review.
The HUAWEI Health App is the HQ for everything fitness, sleep, and health-related. That’s where all your data is synced, from your training sessions to your heart rate, from your sleep records to your blood oxygen levels. You can find more details on the HUAWEI Health App by checking out its section in our Watch GT2 review.
The Watch GT 2 Pro supports more than 100 workout modes (sadly, still no basketball, HUAWEI!). Of those, 17 are professional modes, and 85 are custom modes, and new is the addition of Golf Mode and Skiing and Snowboarding Modem in addition to Cross Country Skiing.
When it comes to training, the watch records your heart rate pretty accurately, as long as you keep the contact between the sensor and your skin clean. This means that if you’re pushing hard and you’re sweating a lot, you might need to occasionally wipe your wrist (and/or the back of the watch) dry.
If you’re walking or running, it will also calculate your VO2Max, and compare it to a general benchmark of people your gender, age, etc. SpO2 readings are on-demand, and the results are synced back to the Health App.
Sleep tracking is also pretty accurate, with the watch precisely detection your bedtime and wake-up moments, with everything in between (sleep stages and awake time).
You can also set a benchmark for your stress level readout, which your watch takes during the day, to see exactly how bad or good of a day you’ve had, and whether you need to calm down by taking some breathing exercises, also available on the watch.
You can also set a benchmark for your stress level readout, which your watch takes during the day, to see exactly how bad or good of a day you’ve had, and whether you need to calm down by taking some breathing exercises, also available on the watch.
Pricing and availability
€349 is what you’ll have to pay for this premium version of the watch, but if you are in the US, there’s no word yet on whether it will officially be available, or you might have to import it yourself.
The Watch GT 2 Pro is available in two options: Sport (with a black rubber band, the one you see above), and a Classic variant with a brown leather strap.
The Watch GT 2 Pro is available in two options: Sport (with a black rubber band, the one you see above), and a Classic variant with a brown leather strap.
– no NFC, Cellular or Wi-Fi – no payment options – notification system needs more work – iOS experience inferior to Android
Conclusion
The original Watch GT2 was already a great smartwatch, to begin with. For the current model, HUAWEI took the Watch GT 2 Pro to the next level by using premium materials, upgrading the main heart-rate sensor, and adding in the convenience of wireless charging. Because of the extreme battery life, accurate health and fitness features, gorgeous display, and premium/classy appearance, the HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro is our Editor’s Choice for the best smartwatch in terms of looks, performance, and insane battery life.
At its HDC 2020 product launch event, HUAWEI has taken wraps off its latest smart watch, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 Pro. The watch face is made of sapphire, has a harder, more durable and textured exterior which is also scratch-resistant. The watch frame is made from titanium. HUAWEI allows you to choose from over 200 watch face options.
The HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro also supports real-time heart rate monitoring, whether running, swimming, or practicing another sport, it monitors real-time heart rate, workout heart rate, high heart rate alert, highest oxygen uptake, recovery time, and more. It combines with a 6-in-1 LED lens and sapphire glass back to provide more accurate readings. The Watch GT 2 Pro supports 24-hour heart rate monitoring, resting heart rate monitoring, abnormal heart rate notifications, scientific sleep tracking, all-day stress monitoring and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring. You can check out all the specifications below:
Category
Details
Quick View
1. 2-week Battery Life 2. Sapphire Glass Titanium Body 3. Golf & Skiing & Swimming(5 ATM) 100+ Workout Modes 4. SpO2 Detection2 5. Bluetooth Calling 6. Wireless Charging
Size
46.7mm×46.7mm×11.4mm
Weight
Approximately 52 g (without the strap)
Display
1.39 inch AMOLED 454 x 454 HD
The AMOLED touchscreen supports slide and touch gestures.
Watch Case
Colour: Night Black, Nebula Gray
Material: Titanium + Sapphire glass
Watch Strap
Black Fluoroelastomer Strap Gray Brown Leather Strap
(The typical usage scenarios are decided based on the user habits. The specific battery life depends on the user habits and usage frequency.)
In The Box
Watch x 1 Charging cradle x 1 Charging cable x 1 User Guide & Safety Information & Warranty Card x 1
The HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro comes in two variations: Night Black for sport edition that costs 329 euro and Nebula Grey for classic edition that costs 349 euro, available for purchase now from Huawei’s official website and retailers in selected markets soon.
HUAWEI filed a trademark application for “Mate Watch” a few months back. In June, it was rumored that the watch will be announced alongside Mate 40 series running HarmonyOS. Now, new reports suggest that there might be another HUAWEI smartwatch in development.
Gizmochina reports that HUAWEI has received multiple certifications for a new smartwatch called the Watch GT 2 Pro. The device has been certified by various agencies including the FCC, Europe’s ECC, Malaysia’s SIRIM, and Singapore’s IMDA. Moreover, one of its key features is the support for 10W fast charging.
The HUAWEI Watch GT 2 Pro is tipped to pack the same 455mAh battery capacity as the Watch GT 2. It is expected to sport more features as compared to the previous model, which is likely to take a hit on the price. However, we don’t have a word on the launch date of the device yet.
, the notification will be empty.
