Honor has unveiled the Honor Watch 4 in China, and it’s more than just another budget smartwatch.
The Watch 4 features eSIM capabilities, so it can be used independently from a paired smartphone, for getting calls and messages on the move.
Without the riches of a proper app store, this limits the potential of an LTE connection to calls and messages. Smartwatches such as the Apple Watch can take advantage of streaming music and podcasts on the move, but that won't be the case here.
But the revamped Watch 4 features dual-eSIM capabilities, which means it can be paired to two SIMs simultaneously, so it can take calls and messages from two separate numbers. That enables users to blend their work and private calls if they so wish.
The rest of the Watch 4 is also a departure from Honor's classic design language, with a square case and generous 1.75-inch AMOLED screen. There’s a 450 x 390 pixel resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. Yes, it’s very much an Apple Watch clone – and a world away from the sleek round Honor Watch GS3.
It packs 10 days of battery life (by Honor's own estimation) and the company claims three days of battery life when using LTE.
It comes with 12 'professional sports modes', with rich tracking for running, cycling, swimming, and others. There are also 85 other generic sport profiles.
It has GPS built-in, and it boasts 5ATM water resistance. That means it's good for a dip in the pool and splashproof too.
Wareable says:
There have been precious few budget LTE smartwatches, and getting the functionality has meant a significant outlay. For example, an Apple Watch Series 8 LTE costs over $100/£100 more than an equivalent GPS only.
The Honor Watch 4 retails for $140 but is China-only for now. We’d love to see this hit European and US shores, offer people a cheaper way to get LTE connectivity on their smartwatches, and start a trend towards more ubiquitous and affordable LTE.
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James is the co-founder of Wareable, and he has been a technology journalist for 15 years.
He started his career at Future Publishing, James became the features editor of T3 Magazine and T3.com and was a regular contributor to TechRadar – before leaving Future Publishing to found Wareable in 2014.
James has been at the helm of Wareable since 2014 and has become one of the leading experts in wearable technologies globally. He has reviewed, tested, and covered pretty much every wearable on the market, and is passionate about the evolving industry, and wearables helping people achieve healthier and happier lives.