One of the problems with smartwatches is that when their battery dies, they're not much use. The newly unveiled Ticwatch Pro tackles that problem with special dual-layer technology – a regular OLED display stacked below a monochrome LCD display that keeps battery drain down to a minimum.
If you stick solely to using that LCD display, which uses what's called a FSTN (Film-compensated Super Twisted Nematic) screen, you can eek out up to 30 days of battery life, according to Ticwatch maker Mobvoi.
If you're a long way from home, the thinking goes, you can still carry on telling the time. Key stats like heart rate count and steps are still shown in the "Essential" mode.
The FSTN LCD screen has been designed to be readable in bright sunlight without obscuring the normal OLED screen underneath, when you want to make the most of the smartwatch's full feature set. A battery life of two days is quoted when the Ticwatch Pro is in full "Smart" mode.
It's not a completely novel idea – Casio is one manufacturer to have tried something similar on a smartwatch before.
The Ticwatch Pro has a lot to like besides its unique screen setup, though. It features the latest Wear OS software from Google, various fitness tracking sensors (including the heart rate monitor we just mentioned), Google Assistant, integrated NFC for mobile payments, and full IP68 protection against water and dust.
There's even on-board GPS, not often found on watches at this price level. On paper the watch is a serious step up from the budget-friendly wearables Mobovi has made in the past, and it looks good too – all shiny stainless steel and Italian leather.
We'll be bringing you a review of the Ticwatch Pro later in the week, and it's certainly one of most interesting Wear OS smartwatches we've seen in recent months. Besides the occasional product from fashion brands, the Android watch scene has been quiet for a while, though Google is rumored to be bringing out a Pixel smartwatch later this year.
You might not be able to get the Ticwatch Pro straight away though. It's on sale now at Amazon, but only for Prime members until August 15, at which point everyone can put in an order. As for the all-important price, it retails for a very reasonable US$249.99.
Product page: Ticwatch Pro (Amazon)
