Every Android wear Smartwatch loving geek I talk to seems to be waiting for Motorola’s anticipated Moto 360 device. This includes online tech enthusiasts and most tech podcasts I listen to. With the LG G Watch and Samsung’s Gear Live Android wear devices already on the market, many have criticized their square-ish designs and opt to wait for Motorola’s circular smartwatch offering. So the question on my mind is, What if the Moto 360 sucks? Will this be a setback for Android Wear devices and or Smartwatches in general? Then you have to ask yourself how important for the Wearable space is the success of the Moto360?
If the Moto 360 had landed with the LG G watch and the Gear Live, I may have may have been a little bit more forgiving of the platform cause then it would be truly unique hardware to set it apart.
I think that’s the fundamental benefit of the Moto 360, it shows that a manufacturer with enough will and expertise can craft a device that can at least from what we have seen but not in person –looks like it’s not only pushing the boundaries– but also accomplishing this feat of creating a usable and beautiful device all in one. If that turns out not to be the case when the Moto 360 finally goes on sale, I think it will amplify the already irritating problem of the Android wear platform. For most of the people and the tech reviewers who have so far used these Android wear devices complain of some reliability issues. Some feel that Android Wear so far is still under cooked that it’s so frustrating at times, so if Google can fix some of these software issues for the Moto 360 not to land with a big wet thud then that would be wonderful. But if the Moto 360 itself sucks? That’s gonna make all the problem in Android wear seem a lot worse.
iWatch Vs Moto 360
I think it is important that we talking about the Android wear Platform. If the 360 crashes and burns that’s going to be an Android wear issue and not one for smartphones or Smartwatches in general. You have to remember that we still have Apple’s iWatch waiting in the wings, we haven’t seen any reliable pictures of what it’s going to look like. It could for all we know blow us away since Apple has a way of doing that and just surprising us with stunting hardware.
The Moto 360 could fail in a couple of different ways, the hardware could be less impressive than we are seeing. Recent pre-release reviews show that it will have a metal back, it’s still kind of plastic and chunky along the body itself and not everyone is gonna love it. So if it fails on that side it would a problem for Motorola. Yes, most early adopters have issues with Android wear, but so far we don’t have any experience of it on a circular screen and yet it was designed from the get go with a circular interface in mind but it might not be as elegant as the already kind of wroth of Android wear.
So maybe it could be a failure for the circular version of the platform which could in turn could drive us to the iWatch. So there is a few different ways this could go badly but in no case do I think it’s going to kill the smartwatch momentum that we have been seeing recently. Yes we are hyped about it now but there is always the next big thing right after it anyway.
Hock or Crook am buying myself one?
If Android Wear’s reported bugs were settled and its usability issues and interface was made a little bit intuitive from what I have seen, I would actually really love it. At the end of the day no matter what the Moto 360 looks like it’s gonna be, am gonna buy one because it’s gonna be the most amazing smartwatch hardware.
It’s just pressing all the right geek buttons for me, including the wireless charging, its round watch face, the fact that it will be my first Motorola device ever and one of the last devices of a Lenovo free Motorola, it’s basically a perfect storm of sheer nerdy desire. And if it sucks, am gonna be really sad.
All Image Credits MKBHD
