Xiaomi watch 5: wear os returns with emg gestures and 6-day battery
Xiaomi has expanded its
ecosystem with the launch of the Xiaomi Watch 5, a smartwatch that brings back Google's Wear OS platform. But the real innovation? An electromyography (EMG) sensor.Gesture control gets a boost
This is not just another smartwatch upgrade. The Watch 5 incorporates an EMG sensor, which reads electrical activity from your muscles to interpret hand gestures. Think double-tapping to cancel calls or a wrist flick to control music—a feature already present on Apple and Samsung devices, but Xiaomi aims for enhanced sensitivity.
Beyond gesture control, the watch retains core smartwatch functions like notifications, calls, and health tracking via the Xiaomi Health app. The return of Google Wallet, Maps, and the Google Play Store adds a significant layer of functionality. Even a remote shutter button for your camera is included, albeit without a viewfinder.
The 1.54-inch AMOLED display is housed in a polished stainless steel case with sapphire glass on both the front and back—a welcome upgrade for durability. Xiaomi promises up to 6 days of battery life, and an impressive 18 days in endurance mode, though real-world testing is pending.
The Xiaomi Watch 5 launches in Europe at €299, with no current plans for a US release. The lack of leather or titanium straps for the European launch is a noteworthy omission.
The switch to Wear OS means a shift away from Xiaomi's proprietary HyperOS, which offered impressive battery performance. This move, however, opens the door to a richer app ecosystem and seamless integration with Google services.
What’s missing?
While the EMG gesture functionality is intriguing, reliable detection of wrist flicks and shakes remains a challenge.
The Watch 5 offers a wide selection of watch faces, but the reliance on the Xiaomi Health app for health data contrasts with the Fitbit integration found in Google's Pixel Watches.
This isn't merely an iterative update; it represents Xiaomi’s renewed commitment to the smartwatch space—a commitment that now hinges on how well the EMG Technology performs under real-world conditions.