Next to the LG G Watch, Motorola was one of the first big smartphone makers to embrace Android Wear, and it was also the first to adopt the circular form that has since become standard on smartwatches. Motorola continued to produce Android Wear, now Wear OS, devices, even if not under its name, when other major phone manufacturers pulled out of the wristwatch business. Unfortunately, it appears that this tradition has come to an end since the new Moto Watch 100 has little resemblance to its forerunners.
It’s not entirely surprising, given that Motorola no longer manufactures smart watches. The third-generation Moto 360 was created and released in 2019 by eBuyNow, a business that licenced the Motorola brand for smartwatches. CE Brands then purchased eBuyNow, which appears to have huge intentions for the Moto Watch brand. Unfortunately, Wear OS may not be included in those plans.
The Moto Watch 100 is described as a “luxury timepiece” constructed of “the most robust materials,” It certainly appears to be so. With a 1.3-inch circular display enclosed in a 42mm aluminium casing, a 355mAh battery, 5 ATM water resistance, and the typical staple of sensors, including one for heart rate monitoring, the stats are fairly respectable as well. Unfortunately, there is no information on the product page’s processor, RAM, or storage space.
The Moto Watch OS, most likely a unique real-time operating system (RTOS) developed by eBuyNow, is the biggest uncertainty with this wearable. It will work with Android and iOS (which is still in the works), but functionality will be limited compared to Wear OS or even Samsung’s Tizen. Notifications, 26 activity modes, a heart rate monitor, and a few other health applications are all supported, but that’s about it.
Given its $99 price tag, the Moto Watch 100 can easily be classified as a mid-range or even entry-level wristwatch, with two weeks of battery life in exchange for lack of advanced capabilities. The smartwatch is available for pre-order now, but it won’t ship until December 10.
Source: globenewswire
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