MWC 2026: Xiaomi Watch 5 with Wear OS 6, Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 unveiled

Xiaomi Watch 5 debuts at MWC 2026 with Wear OS 6, dual-chip setup, sapphire glass build and Google Gemini integration for hands-free assistance

Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi Watch 5 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 in Barcelona. The Xiaomi Watch 5 sports a 1.54-inch display with thin bezels and is protected by sapphire glass on both the front and back. The smartwatch is powered by a dual-chip architecture comprising the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 and a BES2800 co-processor. It runs on Google’s Wear OS 6, bringing app ecosystem support and Google Gemini capabilities that enable hands-free assistance for everyday tasks, information and navigation.

 

The company has not yet announced the launch date or pricing details of the Xiaomi Watch 5 for India. Notably, Xiaomi typically launches smartwatches in India under the Redmi banner. Hence, it is possible that the Xiaomi Watch 5 may be rebranded as a Redmi product for Indian consumers.

 

 

Furthermore, at MWC 2026, the company also unveiled the Electric Scooter 6 Series, the UltraThin Magnetic Power Bank 5000 15W, Xiaomi Tag and Redmi Buds 8 Pro.

Xiaomi Watch 5: Details

The Xiaomi Watch 5 sports a stainless steel frame, a 1.54-inch display with slim bezels and sapphire glass protection on the front and back. It is powered by a dual-chip setup comprising the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 and a BES2800 co-processor. It features a 930mAh battery with 10 per cent silicon-carbon content, supported by its Surge Battery technology. As per the company, the smartwatch can deliver up to six days of battery life in smart mode and up to 18 days in power saver mode.

 

The Xiaomi Watch 5 runs Wear OS 6, offering access to Google apps such as Google Calendar, Google Play and Google Maps. It also supports Google Wallet with NFC for contactless payments. According to Xiaomi, it is the first Xiaomi smartwatch to ship with Google Gemini pre-installed, enabling voice-based assistance for tasks, navigation and information without requiring users to pick up their phones. Its predecessor, the Xiaomi Watch 4, runs HyperOS.

 

Health and fitness features include one-tap health checks, training insights and dual-band GNSS support for outdoor tracking and offline maps. The watch supports gesture controls powered by Electromyography (EMG), Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors.

 

Xiaomi says users can perform actions through two standard gestures — Pinch Twice and Rub Twice — and three custom gestures, including Snap Fingers, Shake Wrist and Rotate Wrist. These can be used to dismiss calls, silence alarms, start workouts, control the phone camera remotely or access apps such as Google Gemini, Google Wallet and YouTube Music. The device also supports cross-device features through Xiaomi HyperConnect and Xiaomi Smart Hub.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra unveiled ahead of MWC 2026

In related news, ahead of MWC 2026, Xiaomi also unveiled the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, developed in partnership with Leica, featuring a 1-inch 50MP main sensor, a 200MP telephoto lens, a 50MP ultra-wide camera and a physical zoom ring, alongside a 6.9-inch 120Hz OLED display, a 6,000mAh battery and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.

 

Leica also introduced a co-branded Leitzphone by Xiaomi at the show, which largely shares the same hardware as the 17 Ultra. The device carries Leica branding while maintaining core specifications, including the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip and a 6.9-inch 120Hz display, akin to the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. Additionally, it retains the 1-inch sensor and mechanical camera control ring but adds a Leica-designed interface with a simplified shooting layout, monochrome mode and custom Leica filters.