Google, it seems, likes its smartwatch round. It likes the idea so much that it plans to release another one.
To date, the round-shaped smartwatch to beat is Motorola's Moto 360. And the tech titan's innovation is, as expected, the company's way of unveiling more. Later this week, a new smartwatch, also sporting an edgeless finish, will be out and it is called the LG G Watch R. The two Android Wear watches have been made rivals ever since the latter was announced, and it is only fitting to determine if Moto 360 has truly found its match.
Moto 360 went minimalistic with the absence of numbers on the display, while LG G Watch R is described by Ordoh to look "a lot like a designer watch." The former is available in black and gray while the latter has black alone.
Comparing the size, there's not much difference. PC Advisor says that both are slightly large, but the site was quick to note that Moto 360 is thinner than the LG G Watch R. Nevertheless, anyone who gets either of the smartwatches for themselves has to deal with its size, however it will look on their large or small wrist. The two come in blue and silver stainless steel frames as well as a 22 mm interchangeable leather straps. With their IP67 certification, they are expected to be reliable for being water and dust resistant.
While both have Bluetooth 4.0, 512MB RAM and 4GB storage, the two are set apart by their processors. The Moto 360 runs on a Texas Instruments OMAP 3 processor, while the LG G Watch R has a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor. Both can connect to Android devices only while they run.
Moto 360's display is slightly bigger with its 1.56-inch screen as compared to LG's 1.3-inch display. When it comes to resolution, LG G, although smaller, is tagged as having the "world's first full circle P-OLED display" with its 320x320 (348ppi) resolution, while the Moto has 320x290 (205ppi) with the black bottom part intended for an ambient light sensor.
It's very important that a smartwatch can keep up with its owner's lifestyle. Moto 360 promises battery life to last a day with a 320mAh battery. Users, however, say that it only allows 12 hours, Ordoh reports. Motorola tries to compensate with the Moto 360's wireless charging. The LG, on the other hand, has a built-in 410mAh battery with metal contacts and a cradle/dock for charging. There are currently no estimates for battery life, and what users know at this point is that it will be "long-lasting."
Finally, it all comes down to the price. With almost identical software, considering both smartwatches are of pure Android makings, the difference dwells in the price. PC Advisor states that the Moto 360 can be acquired with a £199 shell out while the LG G Watch will require £20 more.
LG G Watch R will be on roll out next week, while the Moto 360 is already available in the U.S.
Apart from the two, Asus Zen Watch and Sony SmartWatch 3 (which are not round) are also part of the Android Wear family.
