If any smartwatch ever made a real statement it was Motorola’s Moto 360. At a time where the only products on the market had four corners, the Moto 360’s round body and display made people drool (including myself). The original Moto 360 was not without its flaws, critics loathed at the “flat tyre” on the bottom of the display and the aged Texas Instruments processor didn’t offer the smoothest Android Wear Experience. The new Moto 360 has finally been unveiled though and it is a product that still holds true to its roots whilst getting the spec bump it should have launched with in the first place.
After being heavily leaked and teased for months, the new Moto 360 was revealed at IFA in Berlin today. This year though, we have more than one Moto 360. Motorola has announced a stainless steel 42mm (diameter) and 46mm 360 for men and a separate 42mm option for women. The variety of size makes it easier for people with different wrist sizes to choose a particular model over the other. The cool thing about these new options is that there are separate customization options for the different smartwatches.
The new device sports some important changes but retains the distinct look that Motorola used to make the device popular. The most significant change is quite obviously the addition of lugs on either end of the watch body to hold the straps. The previous Moto 360’s back risked cracking when the watchband was being switched hence the lugs were a necessary addition. The next noticeable refinement is the displacement of the power button on the side of the device from the 3 O’clock position to the 2 O’clock position to reduce the chances of accidentally triggering the power button when bending the wrist.
The “flat tyre” makes a return on the new device however Motorola argues that this is necessary in order to provide the highest screen to body ratio of any smartwatch in the market. The super slim bezel has been one of the defining characteristics of the previous watch and remains effective today as well. The small black spot also houses the ambient light sensor like last year.
The watchbands can now be easily removed with the help of a simple quick release mechanism found on many regular watches thus enabling you freedom of customization. Since we’re talking about customization, the Moto 360 has made its way to Moto Maker allowing customers to mix and match different options and pre-order their device. This time around Motorola is boasting over 300 different customization combinations for the watch. The coolest option in my opinion is the ability to add a different texture to the bezel around the display. Men can choose a Micro Knurl pattern (essentially a criss cross diamond pattern) etched onto the bezel whilst women can choose a Micro Cut pattern (basically radial lines). Both the design look absolutely awesome but cost an extra $20.
Other than the neat etched bezel patterns, one can choose the colour of the bezel, watchbody, the type of band and their respective colours. The watchband for the women’s model is 16mm whilst the others get a 22mm band. The leather options are genuine Horween leather and the metal bands cost an extra $50. Men get a selection of black, silver and gold colour choices whilst women get a choice of silver, gold and rose gold. Some of the examples on the Motorola website showcase the numerous ways these choices can be altered to produce a unique piece.
The new 360 sports a higher resolution LCD display {Mens 42mm and Womens: 1.37” (35mm), 263ppi (360 X 325) and Mens 46mm: 1.56” (40mm), 233ppi (360 X 330)} with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 keeping it protected.
The new Moto 360 is available for pre-order today from Motorola.com, Google Store and Best Buy. The watch will retail starting at $299 and will go up to a maximum of $429 after fully loaded with customizations. The new Moto 360 has addressed the issues that its predecessor faced however right now, the market if flooding with round smartwatches. The Moto 360 appeal still exists in the tech community but we will have to wait and see if this new device can really sit atop the smartwatch throne. Stay tuned for more information as it comes.
