Mobvoi has launched a new affordable Wear OS smartwatch, the Ticwatch E3, with a raft of new tools for looking after your wellbeing, plus that of your family.
Its predecessor, the Ticwatch E2 launched in 2019. When we reviewed it, we were impressed by its low price and impressive battery life, but found its fitness data relatively shallow, and it looks as though that might not have changed. Instead of sharpening its focus on workouts, Mobvoi has chosen to follow the path carved by Fitbit and turn its hand to mental health.
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The Ticwatch E3 has adopted a lot of features from the TicWatch Pro 3 GPS, including TicZen, which monitors stress by tracking heart rate and breathing variability. If it detects that you're starting to feel the strain, the watch will prompt you to use the TicBreath guided breathing exercises to manage your stress, and get your respiration and heart rate back to normal.
In terms of fitness, the Ticwatch E3 expands the number of available workout-tracking modes to 20, and there's a new SpO2 sensor (another feature that's rapidly becoming standard issue for smartwatches and fitness trackers).
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When we test the Ticwatch E3, we'll be paying particular attention to its sleep tracking function. We found this to be occasionally inaccurate in the E2, but it's received an update for the new model – plus some considerate tweaks like no longer illuminating the watch at night and waking you up.
NFC is a welcome addition, allowing you to make contactless payments, but perhaps the most interesting new addition is TicCare, which allows you to keep tabs on the wellbeing of other Ticwatch-wearers in your household. We're not yet sure how this will work, but it may be similar to Apple's forthcoming shareable health reports, and according to investigations by Android Police, is likely to be available for other Ticwatch devices through the mobile app soon.
In terms of design, the Ticwatch E3 looks quite similar to its predecessor, but with two physical buttons on the case rather than just one. Its silicone straps come in three colors: black, neon yellow, and ashy blue.
The Ticwatch E3 is available now direct from Movoi and on Amazon for $199.99 / £179.99 (about AU$260). That's a significant price jump from the E2, which launched at $159.99 (about £145.99, AU$238.99), but still makes it one of the cheapest Wear OS watches available today.
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