OnePlus quietly released the Wear OS 5 update for the Watch 2 and Watch 2R in late December 2025, just meeting its delayed Q4 promise. Users immediately reported severe battery drain, with the watch's three-day endurance collapsing to as little as one day. The update arrived without official fanfare or release notes.

This battery drain is particularly frustrating because the stock Wear OS 5 update is minor, focused on Google app tweaks and animations. It is designed to improve efficiency, which it did on the Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch. The issue appears specific to OnePlus's implementation, with users blaming system apps like Weather and the Play Store.

Two weeks after reports surfaced, OnePlus has offered no official statement, rollback, or timeline for a fix. This silence is concerning for a company that promised two major OS updates and three years of security support for these watches. The situation casts doubt on its long-term support strategy, especially after the recent OnePlus Watch Lite abandoned Wear OS entirely.