Claiming something as the king of its respective product category before it has even been released is usually a bad idea. But, with smartwatches, a new (ish) product category, this is less the case (I’ll explain why in a moment). Thus, it’s not completely absurd to say “Why the Moto 360 is the best Smartwatch”.
First, we should look at what smartwatches actually are: an extension of your smartphone’s functionality, but in the form factor of a watch. And, in 2014, watches are all but obsolete in terms of functionality, due to the relentless advent of phones and mobile devices. So why are they still around?
Because they’re considered to be jewellery; fashion accessories, and nothing more. That’s what smartwatches are competing with.
It’s this niche that smartwatches must fill, and in order to really take off they need to look like a piece of jewellery. Only geeks and tech enthusiasts would spend hundreds of dollars on a smartwatch for their, admittedly, limited functionality. Sure, they have some cool ideas and a lot of potential, but right now, they don’t do much else beyond allowing you to see, and interact with, your notifications on your wrist.
So to appeal to more mainstream audiences, they need to be able to compete with traditional watches.
Considering that all the Android Wear smartwatches will function almost identically, the only way to differentiate between the different devices will be the design and cost.
And of the three Android Wear devices announced so far, which one simply exudes style the most? The LG G Watch appears far too reserved and bland in its design. Samsung’s offering fares a little better, but neither come close to the, well, head turning design of the Moto 360.
It features a circular display with only a small section at the bottom used as a bezel. Of the three devices shown off so far, the Moto 360 is the one that looks the most like a traditional watch.
Of course, discussing the look of a device is an entirely subjective observation, but the vast majority of people seem to be waiting for the Moto 360 for their first smartwatch. Indeed, there was an audible groan as people were told the Moto 360 is still unavailable for purchase at Google I/O 2014.
