Last year there were only a few choices of smartwatches to choose from. Samsung had their thing going, but could only use em with Sammy phones. They did release the Gear Live, but I wanted something that looked more like a real watch than a toy. To which, the LG G Watch also looked cheap and toyish. I was only going to invest in one watch last year so I wanted to make my purchase count. $250 was my cutout though and when I heard the 360 was going to start at that price I was ecstatic!
Out of the crop of smartwatches around the time the Moto 360 was released there was not too much of a choice to get a smartwatch that looked like a real watch. That is why I went with the Moto 360. As mentioned above the Gear Live and G just didn’t have the look I wanted. Samsung Gear watches looked better, but could only work with Samsung phones. The Moto 360 was pretty much the best option for it’s kind at the time. Later on LG released the R and Urbane, which looks nice. Asus even came out with their version of a smartwatch. To be honest, for the price I would have gotten a Zen Watch if I did not get a Moto 360. The LG R was good, but I wasn’t a fan of the numbers etched around the dial. The Urbane was simply too rich for my blood. So if you couldn’t tell the Moto 360 for me was the best choice.
Now we are set for seeing the 2nd generation Moto 360, but this time I am not interested in getting this one this time and it’s basically for a few reasons.
1. The Return of the Flat Tire.
Last year I was able to forgive the flat tire for a number of reasons. The watch still looked like a real watch, it was the first generation, and I liked the size of the display. Motorola explained the flat tire was needed to be able to have less of a bezel and to have sensors. I get that, but now it’s been a whole year to figure out how to get rid of the flat tire. There are tons of other watches that have come out that do not have a flat tire and still looks great.
2. Is it a Classic Timepiece?
Motorola claims to design a classic timepiece, but I don’t buy it. To me a timepiece must look like fine craftsmanship. The flat tire alone nullifies the Moto 360 of being a fine piece of craftsmanship. Not too mention the materials are rather cheap. Take for example the backs that easily crack. The first Moto 360 ended up cracking on me and I did not attempt to make any adjustments, fiddle around with swapping out bands or anything like that. It cracked on its own. I was able to RMA and get a replacement with a steel band rather than the grey stone leather (they were out of stock and they kindly upgraded me. Big thanks!). Unfortunately, the second device cracked right away, but this time being my fault as I was trying to install a TYLT band. Regardless the watch should not crack so easily.
Granted I am speaking of the first generation model, but I am not so sure the 2nd gen will amp itself up to a level to call the watch a classic timepiece of fine craftsmanship.
3. Price Point
At this point there are many choices of smartwatches to consider and frankly look just as much like a real watch as the other. One of the main factors of getting the 1st Moto 360 was that it was priced not too high. Like I said that is what steered me away from the Urbane. The Urbane is probably one of the best looking smartwatches out there to date. So here comes the 2nd gen Moto 360 priced at $300+ depending on the combination of materials you get. That being said, if I were to get a new smartwatch for around $300 there are many others to choose from. The new Samsung Gear S2, Huawei Watch, and we have the new Asus Zen Watch coming out as well that will be well under $300. These I just mentioned are just as good if not better than the Moto 360 for around the same prices for the base models.
4. Good With What I Got.
When I was in the market to get a smartwatch last year I wanted to make a purchase that I could be happy with wearing for a while. I tend to treat phones a little differently as I get the urge to have the latest and greatest. However, I don’t get that feeling with smartwatches. It might have something to do with how I have always treated watches in general. The only time I would get a new watch is if it broke or wore out. My Moto 360 is still going strong even with the small crack in the back. I’m just fine with what I got, for now. Don’t get me wrong if the opportunity arises to get a new watch it wouldn’t hurt my feelings. As for now I think I will keep ticking with the 1st gen Moto 360.
The Moto 360, first or second gen, are still really good watches. It’s just this time around there are many other choices to consider, which is a good thing! Emphasis with iPhone users who can only choose from the overpriced Apple Watch that literally looks like a child’s toy, Pebble that again looks cheap, or some off brand watch with limited functions. Don’t forget iPhone users can now use Android Wear, but again with limited development at this point.
Obviously, many factors go into what smartwatch to get such as preferences, budget, and features. What are the factors you look for in a smartwatch?
The 1st gen Moto 360 is still a watch I would recommend to others, especially for the great price you can get it for now, less than $150!
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