Huawei’s brand-new Watch 3 is now available in-store to purchase. It reinvents the smartwatch with a focus on design, making it a fashion accessory for the wrist.

It’s characterised by an ultra-curved 3D glass screen, finished off with an anti-fingerprint vacuum nano-coating that is a pleasure to interact with, which can be likened to a sensory experience.

It has a 1.43-inch Amoled display with a 3D rotating crown that has tactile feedback for high-precision finger movement recognition, a first for a Huawei smartwatch.

The rotating crown allows you to zoom in and out of images, and slide across menu options more accurately. More precise feedback can be felt through instant vibrations on the fingertips. Its bright display is complemented with perfect round edges that is both scratch- and fingerprint-resistant.

In addition to the crown, you can interact with it using the touch-sensitive screen and side button. It can also be used with a voice assistant and supports gesture controls.

The Watch 3 offers a choice of 30 different watch faces that come pre-installed, so you don’t need to spend time downloading them. Some offer animations to liven things up, using videos lasting between five and 10 seconds that you create yourself. Otherwise, simply choose from the additional 1,000 designs available on the dedicated Huawei Watch Face Store.

Huawei’s new smartwatch is more than just a pretty face; it’s powered by the next-generation HarmonyOS 2. While it allows you to pair it seamlessly on your Huawei device for a fully integrated experience, you can also use it outside a Huawei smartphone, as a stand-alone communication device.

The smartwatch now has eSIM capabilities, which is an electronic, embedded SIM that does need a physical slot. Once you activate the eSIM on a supported network with the same number, you can make and receive phone calls, as well as send and receive texts. Or could you simply mirror your smartphone without acquiring an eSIM. The Watch 3 will then use the same data and voice tariff plan as your smartphone.

Having an independently connected smartwatch is game changer. You no longer need to take it on your outdoor runs; you can head to meetings without the interruption of a smartphone; and you can rely on it when you’re out and about like at the airport or at the mall.

It also supports MeeTime, Huawei’s video-calling app, which lets you transfer calls seamlessly from a phone to the watch, for added convenience. Once an eSIM is activated, MeeTime calls can be made directly on the watch.

Other smart features include the ability to sync calendar entries and other appointments, bringing the convenience of checking flights, taxis, boarding status, seat numbers, and so on directly to the wrist. It also has support for the Emirates app.

The stand-alone capabilities are backed by powerful hardware fittings, like 2GB of RAM and up to 6GB of storage, which can be used to store music when you’re out running or working out.

The brightly coloured display allows you to access apps in a grid style, which appears more organised and simpler to navigate. Apps include more scientific-based management for fitness and health.

It has a high-precision temperature sensor, handwashing detection, fall detection, SOS alerts and sleep tracking. It also comes with all-day SpO2 monitoring — especially useful during the pandemic, heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking and stress management.

It is also packed with the latest sensors: acceleration, gyro, optical heart rate, geomagnetic, ambient light, barometric pressure and temperature. NFC for wireless payments is standard.

From a fitness point of view, it can detect more than 100 workout modes, has 10+ running courses, severe weather warnings, and a built-in GPS and route back navigator. It is also 50m water-resistant for swim tracking.

The Watch 3 offers up to three days of battery life in smart mode or 14 days in ultra-long battery mode. It pairs with an iPhone that runs iOS 9 upwards and offers one-and-a-half days battery life. It can be charged wirelessly.

Get your Huawei Watch 3 today

The Huawei Watch 3 comes in Active and the Huawei Watch 3 Pro comes in Classic Edition, and are available in SA. On shelf now, the Huawei Watch 3 retails from R7,299 and Huawei Watch 3 Pro from R7,999 at the Huawei online store. (Terms and conditions apply)

This article was paid for by Huawei.