Watch 5: Has Honor’s Commitment to Quality Tech Been Compromised?

The new Honor Watch 5 looks suspiciously like an Apple Watch. I mean, it’s not just a passing resemblance – it’s a dead ringer. The squared-off design, the rotating button on the right-hand side, even the way the strap tapers out to meet the edges of the watch. It’s like Honor went out and reverse-engineered an Apple Watch, rather than trying to create something original.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “What’s the big deal? Apple has a stranglehold on the smartwatch market, after all.” And you’re right, they do. But that doesn’t mean Honor can’t try to carve out its own unique space in the market.

Take the OnePlus Watch 2R, for example. It looks like a premium leather-strapped wristwatch, with a sleek and sophisticated design that sets it apart from the rest. Or the Galaxy Watch 7, with its handy haptic bezel. Even Withings has a classic watch design that’s minimal and understated, with just a touch of digital smarts thrown in.

But the Honor Watch 5? It’s just… boring. It’s a carbon copy of an Apple Watch, with none of the unique flair or personality that would make it stand out. And that’s a shame, because Honor has the tech to back it up. The watch boasts two weeks of battery life, a peak brightness of 1000 nits, and one-click health scan tech. It’s a solid piece of hardware, but it’s let down by its bland design.

I get it, there are people out there who love the look of the Apple Watch. And if that’s you, then the Honor Watch 5 might be worth considering. But for the rest of us, I think it’s a missed opportunity. I wish Honor had taken a chance on something new and original, rather than playing it safe with a design that’s been done to death. Maybe next year’s Honor Watch 6 will be the one to shake things up.