Motorola sheds additional light on Moto 360
Motorola just wrapped up its initial hangout based around the Moto 360, an Android Wear-powered smartwatch. If you didn’t have a chance to check it out, you can look for the video on YouTube.
The event itself was light on hard details and really only served to provide a quick glimpse into the device and its future. With that said, we did glean a few bits of information out of the team.
Asked whether the device would pair with other branded smartphones, Motorola replied that anything with Android 4.3 or later will work. What’s more, the watch is said to be water-resistant and features much of the know-how that goes into the Moto X and MotoActv.
“Maximum surface area while maintaining a comfortable fit”
As to whether Google Wear is designed to only work with round displays, Motorola says that the OS is built for circular and square screens. It just happens that they chose the rounded face for this model. Speaking of which, we heard multiple times that this was a conscious decision to provide the most screen and flexibility without digging into your wrist.
Motorola wants you to want to wear this first and then map the technology to it. This is not to say that Motorola did not face challenges in working with that layout. Everything done with the Moto 360 revolves around putting battery first and giving customers a pleasurable device.
For those who wonder why this doesn’t feature a microUSB port or anything that resembles a computer/phone, it’s a deliberate move. Motorola says this needs to look like a watch and feel like a redesign of the time piece, not a smaller smartphone. Oh, and if you’re wondering how this watch will charge, Motorola will detail that at a later date. Our gut tells us it’s not unlike what Qualcomm has done with the Toq.
In terms of build quality, Motorola says the Moto 360 will offer interchangeable wrist bands and feature stainless steel, leather, and other premium materials.
Unfortunately, Motorola stopped short of disclosing pricing or market availability, adding that both will be shared at a later date.