Fashionable Smartwatch: The Huawei GT Cyber With Detachable Face

Much like video killed the radio star, the cellphone killed the wrist watch. That’s not to say that the art of watchmaking is dead and buried, but rather that traditional timepieces have been relegated to the position of status symbols, from must-haves. It’s not the most ingrate or the most unfortunate position, but it marks a huge downfall in popularity.

These days, watches are making a comeback as health and fitness gadgets, and we’re sure that’s news to absolutely no one with an Internet connection and eyes to see. Whether you’re an athlete, a fitness fanatic, or just someone who’s mindful of their well-being, a smartwatch to monitor activity levels and essential functions is a must. So why not put a fashionable spin on it?

That’s the question the latest smartwatch from Huawei tries to answer, setting a world first in the process. The GT Cyber is not just a smartwatch but one of the strangest looking products of the kind out there and the first detachable smart movement smartwatch in the world. It features a detachable face that you can simply pop into another case on another strap whenever you feel like it.

Apple has also emphasized the idea of fashionable smartwatches by offering a large range of bracelets in different styles for them, but Huawei takes it one step further: with the GT Cyber, you’re not just replacing the strap, but the bezel as well.

The watch itself is the dial, and you add more diversity to the piece by changing its strap and bezel. The dial attaches to the bezel with powerful magnets, so getting a “new” watch is a matter of a single click and takes less than a minute of your precious time. It costs extra, it’s true, but in return, you get a gadget that adapts to whatever you’re doing and whatever you’re wearing. This might seem like a whole lot of effort for the silliest thing, but to each their own. Fashion is fashion, so perish the thought of ever going out for drinks with friends in your best party attire and rocking your obviously-sporty smartwatch!

Huawei introduced the GT Cyber on the local market in November 2022 and initiated the global rollout this month, February 2023. Mexico is the first to get it, with pre-orders now open on a reservations-only basis, and more markets will follow suit. No better time than the present to know what’s coming your way, is what we’re saying.

The GT Cyber is unisex, so it might look a bit oversized on a smaller wrist. It comes in two variants, Functional and Elegant, with three cases (Sports, Fashion and Urban Explorer), and several color options (black, gray, yellow, golden, white and midnight blue). The versatility of the gadget, from a purely aesthetic perspective, is also its highest selling point, as emphasized by the ad available in the video below.

But that’s not to say that Huawei puts looks over brains or brawn: the GT Cyber comes with a 1.32-inch AMOLED color screen with 466x466 pixels resolution and PPI 352. It runs OpenHarmony-based software and is compatible with smartphones running HarmonyOS 2, Android 6.0, and iOS 9.0, comes with Bluetooth calling, voice assistant, built-in GPS and NFC for contactless payments.

It also offers music playback, TrueSeen 5.0+ technology with all-weather health monitoring and support for over 100 sports modes, heart rate monitoring, smart sleep monitoring, blood oxygen level monitoring, menstrual cycle tracking, and stress monitoring – so the gamut of features necessary to ensure you lead a healthy, stress-free life.

As for the brawn, all variants of the GT Cyber come with a 316L stainless steel case and nano-microcystalline ceramic bezel, paired with aviation-grade hydrogenated nitrile rubber strap. In much simpler terms, the GT Cyber is built to last, with parts that are very wear-resistant and durable. It’s also water-resistant up to 5 ATM and compliant with military standards, which means it can withstand dramatic changes in temperature, pressure, and solar radiation.

You’ll still have to take it off now and then for (wireless) charging, with Huawei noting that the integrated 292mAh battery is good for seven days per charge with moderate use, and four days with heavy, constant use.

The GT Cyber goes on sale in Mexico on February 13, just in time to treat yourself to a fashionable Valentine’s Day gift. Huawei is yet to announce the release dates for other territories, but just to be on the safe side, you should have $220 or so put aside for it, in case you’re thinking of taking your smartwatch game to the next fashionable stage.