Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- OnePlus introduced the Watch 3 earlier this year priced at $330 for the US market.
- In response to new tariffs, earlier this month OnePlus raised pricing to $500.
- The company is now largely backing down from that hike, and will instead sell the wearable for $350.
For companies in the business of building electronics in Asia and selling them in the US, right now has got to be the most confusing and frustrating time period in recent memory. The current US administration’s naïve fascination with all things tariff has sent markets and manufacturers into a panic, with prices spiking in response. In the absence of clear communication from the White House or even anything resembling a deliberate plan, companies have been flailing to respond to constantly shifting conditions. Today we get a morsel of good news there, as one firm manages to back down from the precipice of a massive price hike.
The OnePlus Watch 3 is one of the most impressive wearable launches we’ve seen so far this year, and we had been expecting the smartwatch to go up for sale for about $330. Earlier this month, however, OnePlus quietly bumped that price up to a staggering $500 in response to tariffs.
An increase that severe threated to derail the Watch 3’s chances at success almost overnight, but after a few more weeks to evaluate all this economic turbulence, OnePlus has had a change of heart:
After further evaluation, we’re pleased to share that recent adjustments in our supply chain have allowed us to pass some savings back to those who are interested in purchasing the OnePlus Watch 3 in the U.S. As a result, the OnePlus Watch 3 in the U.S. is now available at its new price of $349.99; this is the final MSRP price and will not be changed going forward.
While that’s not the same $330 we were initially promised, $350 is certainly a hell of a lot easier to stomach than $500, and this absolutely feels like a win for consumers.
If you did happen to order a Watch 3 over the past few weeks when the wearable was still listed at $500, don’t worry, you didn’t get played. OnePlus will be refunding the $150 difference to you via the payment method you initially used — someone from the company should be getting in touch with you soon to confirm.
As for the rest of us, we’re welcome to order the once-again affordable, now-typo-free OnePlus Watch 3. This probably won’t be the last time this year we see a launch thrown for a loop by economic policy decisions, but at least this particular recent absurdity looks like it’s behind us.
