The OnePlus Watch 2 defies the conventional smartwatch trend of scrolling, shattering the nerdy stereotype

In today’s digital age, hardware often takes a back seat to the software that powers our devices. However, one physical component that has gained attention in recent years is the digital crown found on smartwatches. The digital crown, popularized by Apple, is a large, protruding dial that serves as a means of navigating and activating features on the watch. But what exactly is a digital crown, and does every smartwatch have one?

Contrary to popular belief, digital crowns are not limited to Apple Watches. While it’s true that the first Apple Watch popularized the digital crown, other smartwatch brands have also adopted this design element. For example, the Pixel Watch, Withings watches, Mobvoi watches, and Fossil watches all feature a digital crown. So, it’s clear that the digital crown is not exclusive to Apple’s devices.

However, it’s important to note that the digital crown is not the primary means of navigating smartwatch menus. Most smartwatches rely on touchscreens for navigation, with swipes and taps being the main interaction methods. Some smartwatches don’t even have a physical button, let alone a digital crown. Instead, they use a five-button system for navigation and selection. Athletes, in particular, prefer these buttons as they are more resistant to sweat and can be used with gloves.

So, if the digital crown isn’t necessary for navigation, what purpose does it serve? To answer this question, it’s helpful to understand the history of the traditional watch crown. Before the 1800s, watches required a special key for winding, which was often quite inconvenient. The “crown,” as it came to be known, emerged in the 1830s as a way for owners to wind their watches without a key. It featured ribbed grooves resembling a crown and served as both a decorative element and a functional part of the watch.

However, with the advent of quartz watches in 1969, the need for crowns to wind springs became obsolete. Today, analog knobs are primarily used for setting the time. The modern digital crown on smartwatches serves a different purpose – interacting with the device. Each smartwatch maker has its own implementation of the digital crown. While scrolling through menus is a common use, many digital crowns also function as select buttons, shortcuts, or even voice assistants. In some cases, users don’t use the crown for scrolling at all, opting for other interaction methods instead.

The association between digital crowns and scrolling can be attributed to Sir Jony Ive, Apple’s former design chief. In an interview, Ive referred to the crown as a “fantastic solution for scrolling and making choices.” He positioned it as an alternative input method to touchscreen interaction. Apple marketed the digital crown as a groundbreaking feature of the first Apple Watch, calling it a “second button” on the device. However, it’s worth noting that Ive also referred to the crown as a button, implying that its primary function is to act as a physical input mechanism.

Interestingly, Apple no longer emphasizes scrolling as the defining criterion for a digital crown. It now refers to the crown as an “important hardware input” for the Apple Watch and other devices. On the Vision Pro, for example, turning the crown doesn’t scroll through menus but serves to adjust immersion in virtual environments, control volume, and act as an alternative to pinching gestures. This suggests that the rotation of the crown should be an intuitive part of the user interface, regardless of its specific functionality.

So, what about the OnePlus Watch 2? In a statement from OnePlus, they confirm that the crown on their watch does not have any functional purpose. The rotation of the crown is purely mechanical and serves to make the button more durable during impacts. OnePlus believes that their intuitive interface, combined with the large touchscreen, renders the adjustments provided by a digital crown unnecessary.

In conclusion, the OnePlus Watch 2 does have a crown, although it is not a digital crown in the traditional sense. The rotating mechanism serves a mechanical purpose rather than providing any direct functionality. While scrolling has often been associated with the digital crown, its role as an input mechanism extends beyond scrolling alone. Regardless of the specific functionality, the digital crown remains a unique and tangible way of interacting with smartwatches in an era dominated by touchscreens.



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