Motorola has just announced its new second generation version of its Moto 360 smartwatches. The new Moto 360 comes in 3 different models: Moto 360 Large (46 mm) and Moto 360 Small (42mm) which are directed towards Men and the Moto 360 designed for Women(42mm).
All the version come with an LCD display made of Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3, a heart rate monitor, wireless charging, WiFi, bluetooth, 4 GB internal memory, 512 MB Ram and an Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 400 with 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU with an Adreno 305 GPU. Something new to the 360 is its IP67 water and dust resistance. The primary button is now positioned to a 2 o’clock position from the previous 3 o’clock position.
Battery life varies depending on the version you choose with the Moto 360 46mm having a 400 mAh battery and the Moto 360 42mm (Both the men and women’s version) has a 300 mAh battery. Motorola claims that the 46mm version will last for about 2 days while the 42mm for a day and a half without the use of the Ambient Light sensor.
The straps comes in the following variations: Mens 42mm case requires a 20mm band, the 46mm case requires a 22mm band and the Women’s version with the 42mm case requires a 16mm band. All versions of the bands come with a quick release toggle to quickly swap bands (similar to the Apple Watch).
The Moto 360 runs the latest version of Android Wear gaining iOS support in addition to Android. Motorola has also added a Live Dial feature which are watch faces having interactive elements similar to Apple’s complications.
The best part of the Moto 360 when it was first released was its circular nearly 360 display (except for the small black bezel aka “Flat Tire” at the bottom which houses the ambient light sensor which automatically adjust screen brightness). This design remains but it also faces competition from watches like Huawei Watch, LG Watch Urbane and the soon to be released Samsung Gear S2 all of which sport a circular design.
The new Moto 360′ s can be customized using Motorola’s Moto Maker where can you select a custom look for the bezel, body and off course the strap of the watch. The new straps are easily user replaceable and comes in yet more colors and variations. Overall Motorola claims with the new customizability options there are over 300 variations to choose from.
The Mens version will be available with 3 color options: Silver, Gold and Black while the Women’s version will replace the black with a new Rose Gold option. The primary difference between the Men and Women version are the increased variety of strap options available for the latter along with the new rose gold option.
Pricing for the new 360s begin at $299 and can go all the way to $429.99 with preorders beginning today. The new 360’s will be expected to ship over the coming weeks.
There will also be a Moto 360 Sport (42mm) version later this year which will have built in GPS, a special LCD display called Motorola AnyLight which can be read under direct sunlight and has a silicone strap construction. All this also adds a bit of thickness to the Sport compared to standard models.
Motorola has definitely taken a few cues from the Apple Watch. The Moto 360 can definitely add to the Apple Watch’s competition especially as Android Wear watches can now function with an iPhone.
