Xiaomi's budget sub-brand Redmi has never launched a smartwatch before, and its first entry turns out to be what you'd expect: a pretty inspiring concept at a pretty enticing price. The Redmi Watch has just been launched in China for 299 yuan, or around $45.
The watch has a rectangular 1.4-inch touchscreen with curved glass and is available in black, white and blue colours. The silicone straps are available in black, white, blue, green and pink. There is a single button on the side of the watch, with all else being done by the touchscreen or the Mi Fit app on a paired smartphone.
Other features include NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, heart rate sensor, and waterproofing up to 50m. Xiaomi says that the battery life is going to be good for up to 7 days, or 12 days, if you choose a power-saving mode. The UI and the watch faces make heavy use of black backgrounds, not unlike the Apple Watch, but you can't demand an OLED display at this price.
The watch will go on sale in China on 1 December, but it could come to other markets—including the US—in a slightly modified version. XDA Developers recently dug an FCC listing for a seemingly similar watch named the Mi Watch Lite, which has not yet been released.
