Buying a smartwatch looks like the upcoming hot trend in the consumer electronics market. But if we take a quick look into the varieties offered in the market right now, there's a chance that one might feel like a cyborg. Considering the design of the smartwatches that offer innovative features to attract customers in huge numbers, most of them usually end up adding unnecessary weight to the wrist. For instance, smartwatches from LG and Samsung (SSNLF, Financial) currently selling in the wearables sector seem inspired by the classic Casio digital watches of the 1980s.
Watches are meant to look elegant, smart and stylish, but the recent smartwatches are in no way able to fulfill the aesthetic criteria of consumers. While they do have several extra functionalities on their side, consumers also want their watches to look classy. Bearing this in mind, Motorola, now a unit of Lenovo (LNVGY, Financial), plans its first venture into the smartwatch market where there has not been any dearth in competition. However, the management is confident to create strides for itself after the launch of the smartwatch – Moto 360. Let’s take a closer look and find out how this smartwatch can possibly outpace the rivals.
The Moto 360 update
Android Wear is something everyone has been speaking of for the past few months. With good reason Motorola looks slated to change the face of the smartwatch market with the launch of Moto 360, which would be powered by Google’s (GOOG, Financial) Android Wear. The OS is already powering two smartwatches available in the market – the Samsung Gear Live and the LG G Watch. So, if Android Wear is not a new thing, then what is so extraordinary in the upcoming Moto 360?
First, let’s talk about the appearance of Moto 360. From whatever updates are available, the smartwatch will come with a round face, resembling a traditional watch with an aesthetic feel. The computerized Moto 360 watch screen will possibly feature OLED display that will aid in conserving battery life as OLEDs are known to consume 40% less power than their LCD counterparts.
While speaking exclusively to TrustedReviews , Motorola’s Senior Vice President of Supply Chain, Mark Randall, stated – “Moto 360 is a really cool device that we think solves a lot of problems that no one else has solved in the wearables space.”
A look at the Moto 360 clearly tells why Randall uses strong words for competing smartwatches. The new smartwatch will not only meet the consumer demands through its design but also the functionality features will probably be more intuitive.
Since the watch is based on Android Wear, there will be a level of familiarity with the device. For example, we can speak to the watch thanks to the Google Now function. Also, just like Google Now, the Moto 360 can retrieve any important information for the buyer just at a glance.
Impressive than rivals
In terms of design, neither Samsung nor LG smartwatches have done an impressive job. These watches come with swappable bands and neither can distance itself from the rectangular form factor employed by most of the smartwatches selling in the market. Thus, though Moto 360 has similar Android features to these two, it’s "look" factor is a major plus for gaining market popularity among style-conscious consumers.
As far as the display goes, the Samsung Gear Live packs a 1.63 inch AMOLED panel which delivers brighter whites and darker blacks than the 1.65-inch LCD panel used in LG G watch. But regardless of this, both fail to offer much usability in direct sunlight. On the contrary, the Moto 360, which has an OLED display, would also perform well under the sun and will offer better color saturation than the watches from LG and Samsung.
The biggest advantage in the Moto 360 would be the wireless charging property, something which might pull more crowd than estimated, as this seems to be a rare feature in a smartwatch. Since consumers would not require connecting the watch to a USB portal for charging, it will make it handier than its immediate contenders. The Moto 360 can also be worn on both hands, and it can adjust its orientation accordingly. Even the battery life is expected to be longer than the other two Android wear devices, lasting for more than 48 hours on one charge.
Though the pricing has not been disclosed by the management, news sources believe it could be competitively priced. While the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 sells for around $299 and the LG G watch sells at $229, the Moto 360 might sell at the mid-point of the two prices. As opposed to plastic, Moto 360 will sport a combination of metal and leather, making the phone’s cost a little higher, but also adding a little class to the device.
Final word
Moto 360 will surely ignite a war against LG and Samsung Android smartwatches. Thought all the three devices have very similar features, Moto 360’s unique selling point will be the appearance and out of the box features. Consumers are waiting eagerly for the formal launch of the device, slated in September this year. Let’s stay tuned.
