The new edition of the smartwatch features a minor makeover, and will come in two case sizes - 46mm and 42mm
It's here, the new generation Moto 360 smartwatch. Announced at the ongoing IFA 2015, Lenovo-backed Motorola Mobility unveiled its new, "highly customizable" Moto 360 smartwatches. After bringing an actual wristwatch-like look to the smartwatch segment, extensive customizing options to users seem to Motorola's mantra to succeed in a market segment that has seen a number of similar round-dial smartwatches follow the original Moto 360's appearance. Taking the "real wristwatch" look further, Motorola has announced two different case sizes for the second generation Moto 360 — a larger, 46mm case for men, and a smaller, 42mm case for women. The smaller case will be compatible with 16mm wristbands, and is reportedly built "for thinner wrists".
The new Moto 360 was rumoured previously, with leaked photographs of it showing an ever-so-slightly "more premium" façade, and a relocated, round-shaped power/lock button. The button has been moved from the first-gen Moto 360's 3 o'clock position, to a 2 o'clock position now. The new smartwatch will take customizing cues from the Moto Maker abilities that its smartphone division currently has. The new Moto 360, as stated by Motorola itself, has the largest screen-to-case ratio, aircraft-grade steel casing, IP67 water resistance certification, and Corning Gorilla Glass scratch protection. It also has different colour variants for its separate men's and women's editions. Stereotypically, the men's version features black casing with knurl-treated bezel, while the women's version features rose gold casing with peach-finish bezel. The watch will have metal and leather bands as options to choose from.
Specifications-wise, both the variants run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC, with 4GB of internal storage and 512MB of RAM. Both have Bluetooth v4.0 LE and WiFi as connectivity options. Sensors on the Moto 360 smartwatch include an optical heart rate monitor, accelerometer, gyroscope, ambience sensor, a vibration motor and haptic feedback, to further add multitasking features. The new Moto 360s will also come with a Live Dial feature, that will make accessing frequently-used apps much easier. The 42mm version features a 1.37", 360x325px display, and a 300mAh battery, while the 46mm version has a 1.56", 360x330px display, along with a 400mAh battery. A previous leak had come close, guessing a 360x360px resolution display on the new Moto 360.
Prices for the new generation Moto 360 smartwatch have been ranged between $299 (approx. Rs. 19,810) and $429 (approx. Rs. 28,420). Pre-orders are now open in the United States, and shipping will begin from later this month. As of now, though, the website for Moto 360 seems to have crashed, which we hope is for popular interest in the product. Additionally, Motorola has also unveiled Moto 360 Sport — featuring a rugged, rubber body, inbuilt GPS and music playing capabilities, and enhanced direct sunlight visibility. Further details about the Moto 360 Sport will be unveiled soon.
For now, Moto seems to be hot on the Apple Watch's heels. Its infamous "flat tyre", however, might just puncture its ambitions.
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