Lemfo LEM16 - Personal experience

[xwtk]

My LEM16 has arrived today!

Right from the oven you could say, as I have been in direct contact with LEMFO and my sample was sent as soon as the batch was produced.

Came with cable for the powerbank, powerbank itself (not in picture), a data+charging cable for the watch.

Have been using it for a few hours, the UI is pretty nice, whole system is pretty smooth.

The battery suddenly died at around 30%, most likely due to the battery not being calibrated yet, a few cycles and it should be good to go.

Currently running V1.5 straight from factory, no new updates available as of 26/07/2023.

Sadly apps aren’t optimized for round screens, but the watchfaces look gorgeous!

The powerbank is actually a very good idea for off-home use. Putting it in a bag and using it whenever the watch dies.

27/07/2023
After installing some apps, including Accubattery, I noticed that the “Optimization” app is force killing apps left in background by the CleanTask function, after turning it off, the app is able to run in background, until removed from the ListTask menu.

Interesting to know why the Chinese didn’t leave the task management to Android to decide, instead of overriding it.

Heart Rate and Blood Oxygen sensors work properly, compared with Apple Watch Series 7!

Comparison of size with LEM10, LEM16 sits much more comfortably due to the round design.

I absolutely love the fact that the watch is able to automatically check my heart rate and blood oxygen, missed it a lot on LEM10.

29/07/2023
The sensors have failed, due to the back cover being faulty and failing to keep sweat away from the sensors, everything has fogged up, luckily, LEMFO support was very competent and has arranged a replacement as well as covered return costs of my current watch!

Some watchfaces I made for Z40 and other 400x400 round watches
- Pixelize Sport
- Pixelize Standard
- Neoda

02/08/2023
Lemfo has covered the return costs and the faulty watch was sent back, I have come to an agreement with them that I film the return process so they send me a new one as soon as the tracking number for the return watch is available, and I am excited to announce that I have just received the tracking number for the replacement watch!

[Bettuccio2]

congratulations on the purchase. I too own a LEM 16 . I’m stuck on Firmware version 1.4

[xwtk]

Oh that’s interesting and thanks!

[stingray22]

I assume you can put the square mode on the screen from the start menu, so that way you can use square apps… Am I right?

[G1NT0N1C]

Yes.It should work for the most apps.

[xwtk]

Correct, to do that, you must hold the power button until the power menu comes up, and click on the first button

[xwtk]

27/07/2023 P1
After installing some apps, including Accubattery, I noticed that the “Optimization” app is force killing apps left in background by the CleanTask function, after turning it off, the app is able to run in background, until removed from the ListTask menu.

Interesting to know why the Chinese didn’t leave the task management to Android to decide, instead of overriding it.

[pablo11]

@xwtk

Interesting to know why the Chinese didn’t leave the task management to Android to decide, instead of overriding it.

It’s simply because they use so many custom coded stock apps which Android can’t manage properly.
Their code is designed to be usable by both the Chinese domestic market and the international market.
Their domestic market has no access to Google whatsoever and so these custom “in house” apps are coded to work with both markets.

The issue with this approach is that the code is not recognised as compatible, and stock Android cannot manage them in the usual way.
So the custom (brutal) task killer is used.
Like these apps for example:
SMS
Browser
Fitness
Weather
Phone dialler
Contacts
Launcher
Restricted launcher (dual operation “sports mode” lol)

To name a few…
That’s why they asked us to make international firmware previously. This gave a choice for people outside of China, to be able to use regular apps.
Sadly our project was for Android 10 MTK devices and moving to Unisoc Android 11 is a LOT of work!!
The four of us here on the moderation team have family and full time work
So we haven’t been able to do it for Android 11.
During covid lock down it was not too bad of course.
I have made a couple of test builds for this Z40 which were not too bad, but I just don’t have time anymore

We have an option, but we don’t have the finances to be able to engage someone.
I did ask a few months ago if anyone would be interested if we could make an international firmware for the Z40 C18… (LEM 16 etc), but only around 10 people responded.

As we don’t get any donations at all any more, it’s just not possible for us to persue projects like this. We can pay for hosting this site, but that’s about it.

[xwtk]

@pablo11

We can pay for hosting this site, but that’s about it.

Well hey, I can give some free hosting if needed
Also, if the Chinese can provide me the source code (best would be if the base was the V1.5 firmware), I can spend some time modifying it.

[xwtk]

27/07/2023 P2
Heart Rate and Blood Oxygen sensors work properly, compared with Apple Watch Series 7!

Comparison of size with LEM10, LEM16 sits much more comfortably due to the round design.

I absolutely love the fact that the watch is able to automatically check my heart rate and blood oxygen, missed it a lot on LEM10.

[xwtk]

@pablo11 Read about issues with root, my watch has the OEM Unlock toggle, wondering if that could play something?

[pablo11]

@xwtk

Well hey, I can give some free hosting if needed
Also, if the Chinese can provide me the source code (best would be if the base was the V1.5 firmware), I can spend some time modifying it

Thanks for the offer but our hosting costs are already discounted and provided by a former members company.

It’s closed source, the only reason I have access to it is because we are heavily involved in with the solution company and assist with developing and testing.

The OEM unlock will allow you to use Magisk if you so desire. We avoid discussing this as much as possible due to the number of people who end up in trouble and we just don’t have the resources to assist them.
We do this as a hobby in our spare time.
We get no financial gain from this site.

I hope this is clear enough.
It gets asked so many times, it’s not funny.
Cheers

[xwtk]

Oh yeah it is absolutely understandable!

[xwtk]

28/07/2023
Sleep tracking works very nicely! Correctly tracked my REM cycles.

@pablo11 I am unable to use Maps as when I press the “Current Location” button, a blank page comes with “Google Play Services” title, I checked and all apps are up to date, location is turned on. Most likely a poor implementation of Google Play Services, possible to check with the software provider for bugs?

[pablo11]

@xwtk

I am unable to use Maps as when I press the “Current Location” button, a blank page comes with “Google Play Services” title, I checked and all apps are up to date, location is turned on. Most likely a poor implementation of Google Play Services, possible to check with the software provider for bugs?

Have you tried looking at the posts in the official thread?

Android 11 is here! Lokmat APPLLP 4 Pro and LEM16 Z40 models

Hi all, Just FYI - until I get better Information and pricing Lemfo and Lokmat have released the first A11 Android watch New support threads will soon be available for both the Lokmat APPLLP 4 Pro and the LEM16. It is generally known as the Z40. There will be opportunities to purchase it at various price points, depending on which ad campaign you purchase from. For now, I will just show you these details pending updates. It is a Unisoc dual chip solution. This means the Unisoc chip …

[pablo11]

I have version 1.5 for both Lokmat and Lemfo now and I am uploading them.
As far as I know, there will be no OTA for this version.
I’ll add them to the top of this thread when they are ready.
Cheers

[xwtk]

Nice, just before you replied I figured out GLAccuracy would be the fix, just released a watchface too:

Download (for 400x400)

[xwtk]

Came to a problem today, noticed that the heart rate and blood oxygen sensors were failing to measure, removed the watch from my wrist to find out the sensors are fogged up…

[xwtk]

UPDATE
After trying everything possible, I was unable to get the fog out, the hear rate LED is barely lighting up and not always, blood oxygen LED is unstable, seems like the whole part is short circuiting.

[G1NT0N1C]

Please turn it off and remove the SIM tray. Then put it in a bag with rice, preferably in a warm place, such as a sunny windowsill. For about 2 days, then hopefully the moisture is gone and it’s working again.