AI company Mobvoi has introduced the newest member to its most modest smartwatch line, in the TicWatch E3.
Like its predecessors, the E3 is a circular-faced smartwatch running Google’s Wear OS and aiming to serve as a timely update on the same well-rounded recipe that the line is known for, at a competitive price.
What sets the E3 apart from older entries in E series – and the majority of the rest of the smartwatch crowd – is its adoption of Qualcomm’s latest and greatest wearable-focused chipset, the Snapdragon Wear 4100.
Despite the 4100 having being announced approximately a year ago, smartwatch makers have been inexplicably reluctant to embrace this tailor-made silicon on their subsequent technological timepieces.
Mobvoi has been something of a renegade in this regard, however, by being one of the first manufacturers to integrate a Wear 4100 chipset into one of its smartwatches, with the launch of the TicWatch Pro 3 back in September 2020 – three months after the SoC’s release.
The TicWatch E3 supplements its capable core with a bevvy of sensors, including key features absent from 2019’s TicWatch E2, like NFC (for contactless payments via Google Pay).
Other software and hardware highlights include constant heart rate, sleep, stress and blood oxygen saturation monitoring, as well as IP68-certified dust and water resistance, GPS, an integrated microphone and speaker, and interchangeable silicone straps (available in black, Neon Yellow and Ashy Blue).
Mobvoi’s integrated TicMotion fitness app also introduced 30-minute HIIT workouts, to expand on the existing health offerings available in parallel with Wear OS’ native fitness features, while TicCare will let users share fitness stats; so family and friends can keep tabs on one anothers’ wellbeing or challenge each other to specific goals.
The TicWatch E3 went on sale on 16 June, on sale from and Amazon, for £179.99/€199.99/US$199.99.
