Xiaomi introduces Watch S1 and Buds 3 in China
What's the story
Xiaomi has announced its Watch S1 smartwatch and Buds 3 truly wireless earphones in the Chinese market.
The Watch S1 and Bud 3 carry a starting price-tag of CNY 1,049 (roughly Rs. 12,300) and CNY 449 (around Rs. 5,300), respectively.
The smartwatch features a stainless steel case and sapphire glass protection, while the earbuds boast active noise cancellation and HiFi audio support.
Context
Why does it matter?
The Watch S1 and Buds 3 are Xiaomi's latest offerings in the wearable and audio categories, respectively.
The former is the company's most premium smartwatch till date and will pose tough competition to Samsung's Galaxy Watch4 series.
The latter aims to take on Apple's AirPods Pro and similar premium earbuds by promising studio-level sound quality, three levels of ANC, and water resistance.
Design
Buds 3 has touch gestures for controlling music
Xiaomi Watch S1 measures 46.5x46.5x11mm and features a 5ATM waterproof body with a stainless steel case. It sports a circular 1.43-inch AMOLED display with 466x466 pixels resolution and Sapphire Glass protection.
The Buds 3 boasts an IP55 water resistance, an in-ear design with silicone tips, and touch controls for managing audio as well as calls. It comes bundled with a matching charging-cum-carry case.
Connectivity
Both the devices support Bluetooth 5.2
The Watch S1 has 117 sports modes and houses a microphone as well as a speaker for attending calls directly from the wrist. It tracks SpO2 and heart rate, supports NFC, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.2, and is compatible with devices that run at least Android 6 or iOS 10.
The Buds 3 also gets Bluetooth 5.2 and provides quick pairing with select Xiaomi smartphones.
Highlights
Xiaomi Buds 3 has three noise cancellation modes
The Xiaomi Buds 3 comes with an ultra-dynamic dual-magnetic driver and a proprietary HRFT tuning curve that claims to offer studio-level sound quality.
The wireless earphones are equipped with three microphones that can reduce ambient noise of up to 40 decibels. You can select from three ANC modes: Mild, Balanced, and Deep.
There is also a transparency mode which lets in ambient sounds.
Battery
Watch S1 delivers up to 24 hours of standby time
The Xiaomi Watch S1 houses a 470mAh battery which promises up to 12 days of battery life with moderate usage.
Meanwhile, the Buds 3 offers seven hours of playback time with ANC turned off and up to 32 hours of battery life considering the extra charge provided by the case, which supports both wired as well as wireless charging.
Pocket-pinch
Xiaomi Watch S1 and Buds 3: Pricing and availability
The Xiaomi Watch S1 costs CNY 1,049 (roughly Rs. 12,300) for the Viton wristband variant and CNY 1,099 (around Rs. 12,900) for the leather wristband model.
On the other hand, the Xiaomi Buds 3 carries a price-tag of CNY 449 (around Rs. 5,300).
Both the products will be up for purchase in China from December 31 onwards.