Wear OS smartwatches are seen as sub-par compared to the competition, mainly because most of them still use outdated processors or lack key features. With the TicWatch Pro, Mobvoi managed to design one of the most attractive intelligent timepieces powered by Google's OS on the market. However, despite its good selling points, the product lacked LTE connectivity, which prevented owners from using all their watch's features on the go. Thankfully, the manufacturer is announcing the TicWatch Pro 4G/LTE, which builds up on its predecessor's specs and adds 4G functionality on top, confirming the leak we reported last month.

The Pro 4G/LTE retains the Pro's dual-screen technology, which layers a low-energy LCD display on top of an OLED screen. Thanks to these two panels, owners can switch between Essential and Smart modes, depending on what kind of information they want to see at a glance, and whether they'd like to extend battery life. The power-saving setting helps achieve an impressive 30 days of standby time, instead of the regular 48 hours.

The main novelty with this smartwatch is, of course, its 4G connectivity, which makes it more complete than the previous iteration. Thanks to LTE support, you will be able to share your phone's number to place voice calls and send and receive messages, without the need for a smartphone. Similarly, your notifications can be synced through the cloud, allowing you to interact with them without having to download a separate app on your timepiece or to have your phone with you. This means you'll be able to reply to WhatsApp messages and emails directly from your watch, even if you forgot your phone at home or are away from Wi-Fi coverage.

Mobvoi has also improved its TicMotion and TicPulse fitness and health tracking features. The first now lets you track your workouts without having to manually tell your watch to do so. It's also more granular in a sense that it can recognize more activities, such as fast-walking, and will soon be able to tell when you're swimming. Similarly, the second now tracks your heart rate proactively in the background, without the need for a smartphone.

In terms of other features, it's very similar to the TicWatch Pro, as it's got built-in NFC and GPS capability. It also has the same IP68+ rating and battery size, but comes with more memory and is 11g lighter. Unfortunately, Mobvoi continues to use the Snapdragon Wear 2100 SoC instead of the newer Wear 3100 chip, which would have meant even better battery life.

The TicWatch Pro 4G/LTE is available starting today with an official $299 MSRP. However, Mobvoi is offering a $20 early buyer discount if you purchase it before August 10. Unfortunately, there's a trick behind this markdown: The watch's LTE connectivity can't be activated before next month, which means people who buy it now will have to rely on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth until then. The Pro 4G/LTE is available on Amazon and Mobvoi's site, and can also be purchased from Verizon.

SPECS

Dimensions

45.15 x 52.8 x 12.6mm

Display

1.39" AMOLED (400 x 400 px) + FSTN LCD

Screen cover glass

Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3

Watch case

Polyamide & glass fiber, stainless steel bezel, aluminum back cover

Watch strap

Silicone (interchangeable), 22mm

Operating system

Wear OS by Google

Phone compatibility

Android™, iPhone

SoC

Qualcomm® Snapdragon Wear™ 2100

Memory

  1GB RAM; 4GB ROM

Battery capacity

415mAh

Network

  4G/LTE FDD

Bluetooth

v4.2 + Low Energy

Wi-Fi

 802.11 b/g/n

Satellite positionning

GPS + GLONASS + Beidou

Sensors

PPG heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, e-compass, ambient light sensor, low latency off-body sensor

NFC payments

Google Pay via NFC

Military Standard 810G

Withstands temperature shock of between -30 °C and 70 °C; operational between -20 °C and 55 °C; 57kpa pressure; 44 °C solar radiation; 95% humidity; salt fog; sand and dust; shock

Waterproof rating

IP68 + pool swimming suitable

Buy: Amazon, Mobvoi

UPDATE: 2019/08/08 5:41am PDT BY HAGOP KAVAFIAN

The watch's LTE connectivity can now be turned on so you can fully enjoy its 4G benefits. You can do so directly from the My Verizon app or by visiting a Big Red store. Unfortunately, the 4G network activation also means the device lost its $20 early buyer discount, which was Mobvoi's way of making early buyers wait until LTE could be turned on.

PRESS RELEASE