Introduction and display
The first Moto 360 was –and still remains– one of the most popular Android Wear smartwatches on the market. It was the first to really catch the public's attention to the burgeoning tech, and represents some of the best that Android Wear has to offer, with enough chops to go head to head with the Apple Watch, and then some.
It definitely had annoyances – like its flat tire-looking display, middling battery life – but in terms of design, comfort and overall functionality, the watch still stands up to the most recent releases.
Now, about a year later, its highly anticipated sequel has arrived, not in one, but two sizes and three unique styles: Moto 360, Moto 360 for Women and Moto 360 Sport.
At $299 (£229, AU$329), it's the same cost as the Samsung Gear S2, but both are much pricier than the $129 (about £110, AU$179) Asus ZenWatch 2. This puts the base model pricing on part with Apple Watch's $299 (£299, AU$449) mark – but if you're going to customize the 360 via Moto Maker, the price can get up to $449.
We previously tested the Moto 360 for Women, which is a slightly sleeker version of the 42mm "Men" version. As a guy, I actually find it a bit more attractive, despite being "for Women."
Now, we're trying out the 46mm variation, with some of the optional features, like micro knurl and a cognac leather strap. As you can see, it's quite a looker, too.
Display
The new Moto 360 screen has a higher pixel density than last year's version, which extends to each of the new size variations.
The 46mm watch measures in at 1.56 inches, with a resolution of 360 x 330 and 233 pixels per inch (ppi), while the 42mm watch has a 1.37-inch display with a resolution of 360 x 325 and 263ppi.
Compare these with the original Moto 360's 320 x 290 resolution and 205ppi, and it's no surprise there's a clear difference between the new and old displays. Switching between different apps and various watch faces shows that the new Moto is crisp and bright, but there's still some pixelation I can detect.
Gorilla Glass 3 protects the face from scratches, and a thin bezel surrounds it. However, the tradeoff for protection has resulted in the return of dreaded flat tire bezel on the bottom of the screen – though, we'll take it over the rather enormous bezels found on the Asus ZenWatch 2.
The Chicago-based company explained that the small black bar hides multiple key sensors, while providing space for the LCD to fold underneath, to maintain the wearable's compact size. Motorola also highlighted that its smartwatch has the most screen-to-body ratio, at 71.7% compared to its rivals. As time has passed, I wonder if this statistic has any merit, as competitors like the Huawei Watch rock a full, seamless display.
Design and comfort
The first Moto 360 offered a lovely, circular design and the new Moto has continued with the popular round face and added more options for watch body finishes. Instead of the sole silver option offered with the original, you can now choose between rose gold, regular gold and black, as well.
The lugs sit a bit differently on the new Moto 360. The original band is flush with the body of the smartwatch and thus, not swappable. Now, it sits squarely on top and bottom, giving it the look of an authentic timepiece. The crown - which still serves as a home and back button - sits higher on the bezel as well. The reason for this change could have been purely cosmetic, but the new button placement didn't dig into my hand –a minor squabble I had with the original model.
The first model of the Moto 360 we tested was the rose gold flavor paired with a "blush"-colored Horween Leather band. It's absolutely eye catching for all the right reasons. Alone, the gold body looks more yellow and dull but next to the rose gold, it gives the whole watch a quality that positively radiates "high-end."
At the same time, it remains modest, since it's not decked out with jewels or sparkles. Rather, it's simple with a solid amount of sophistication thrown in for good measure, making it an ideal accessory for any setting.
Next up, we tested the bigger 46mm model. Given the opportunity, we had to switch things up a bit, and went for a black chamfer around the glass, stamped with a black micro knurl texture. We selected a black case, which boasts a brushed metal look and smooth feel.
As mentioned before, there are three sizes you can pick from: a 42mm case that requires a 20mm band, a 46mm case that requires a 22mm band and the one I've tested out, a 42mm case with a 16mm band.
The designs in general are far better than the single option of last year. Horween is also a supple, comfy leather on the skin, but it ends up looking ragged over time. It does give it a weathered, worn-in look, but I suppose that may not be appealing to some. As for me, I enjoyed the effect.
If you think this will bother you, Moto has several band options, like mono link steel and metal, that obviously won't wear its age as much.
So far, it seems like you can't really go wrong with any of the new styles.
Comfort
Along with the Huawei Watch, the new Moto 360 is the most comfortable smartwatch I've worn. Our first tester had some issues finding the right fit due to her small wrists, but the 46mm model fits me just fine. The leather never pinched me and overall, I didn't feel like I had to sacrifice comfort for fashion.
Saying a wearable actually fits well is high praise, considering our earlier lamentations over the bulky and ill-fitting smartwatches from the past year. Like many other second-generation smartwatches that have come out this year, Moto chose wisely in offering up a variety of sizes for a plethora of wrist sizes. This has greatly improved my experience with smartwatches as a whole since they actually fit around my arm now, instead of flopping around.
Don't let the "for Women" moniker scare you away from the watch you want. Each variation of the Moto 360 looks fantastic and you shouldn't feel like you need to make compromises to your taste or wrist size just to fall into your identity bucket.
No matter the watch you choose, the designs are similar. The only differences found in the 360 "for Women" are the smaller lugs and the optional micro etch effect, which looks awesome and isn't available on the bigger models.
Specs, performance and apps
The first Moto was a bit slow and had some performance issues, but the newer Moto 360 has, again, surpassed it. The biggest change comes with the processor. It's now a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chip with 1.2GHz quad-core CPU and an Adreno 305 450MHz GPU.
These improvements make for a faster and responsive Moto 360, but it comes with the same 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage and a IP67 waterproof rating, which allows for one meter submergence for 30 minutes. Just to be safe, I'd never recommend bringing it in the water, though light splashes should be fine.
The operating system is Android Wear, obviously, and runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out of the box, though it can be updated to the recently released Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
If this is your first Android Wear smartwatch, welcome, first of all. The user interface works with notification and information cards that pop up vertically from the bottom of the screen. You can flick through the available cards, and swiping from left to right will remove a card from the list, similar to using Android on your phone.
On the flip side, moving your finger in the opposite direction will take you to more options. With the new gestures found in the recent Android Wear update, you can flick, raise and drop your wrist to navigate the watch's menus without having to lift a finger.
Swiping left from the home watch face's edge will take you to the apps drawer. Your most recent app will be at the top of the scrolling list. Swiping left again brings you to a contacts page from which you can send and read messages. Another swipe in that direction takes you to Google-specific commands, like taking notes or vocalizing reminders and setting alarms. You can also draw out emojis to save or send out via text or email.
There's also Wi-Fi connectivity from the get-go, emoji messages, calls from the watch. Though, unlike Apple Watch, which can accept calls right on the watch, Moto 360 directs calls made and received to your phone.
During our initial testing, we didn't have many issues with the new Moto, however one watchface did crash it briefly. It wasn't a stock face, but one from the Google Play store, which leads us to believe it might have just been buggy. Nonetheless, the smartwatch still crashed, leaving me stare at the screen while it fixed itself. Thankfully, it wasn't long (about a minute) before the device resumed its normal watch activity.
In our recent experience, we loaded the Moto 360 with over 20 watchfaces, none of which crashed.
Apps and fitness
There aren't many specialized Moto apps running on the watch. In general, Android Wear is a similar experience, no matter the watch's maker. In the case of the new Moto 360, the options are the same as what we saw the first time around.
The fitness portion of the Moto 360 is slightly improved, with the Moto Body app that was released in September, though Google Fit is still on hand to use as a backup, or as a primary app.
Moto Body is basically the brand's attempt at the now de rigeur activity tracking throughout the day – so you'll get the usual motion, step and heart rate tracking information recorded.
Similar to Apple Watch's Activity tracker, Moto Body notifies you of your fitness progress throughout the day, telling you how close (or far) you are to your set goals. You can view and adjust each on the watch or the dedicated Moto Body app on your Android phone. (The app is not yet available on iPhone.)
Moto Body charts out your metrics in an easy-to-read presentation, tracking daily and weekly activity while also monitoring your step and heart rate trends. The built-in heart rate monitor is currently a rare feature on an Android Wear smartwatch, so it's a plus for those looking for more bang for your buck.
The app is improved as a fitness feature, but still isn't as comprehensive as say, a fitness tracker. Even so, it sticks out amongst its Android Wear competitors as a more versatile option. If you're more of an active individual, the Moto 360 Sport might be of keen interest to you.
With that, you'll get a sweat-proof silicon frame that comes with built-in GPS and additional battery life on top of the hardware already found in the more office-friendly Moto 360 – not to mention in a variety of bold color options.
Competitors, compatibility and battery life
We first reviewed the Moto 360 back in October 2014. Since then, we've had the chance to review two very worthy competitors, the Samsung Gear S2 and the Huawei Watch.
Starting with the Android Wear-toting Huawei Watch, which looks strikingly similar to the Moto 360. In terms of internal specifications, these watches are identical, however, the Huawei Watch has a much clearer and more vibrant 400 x400 screen (which is fully circular, unlike the Moto 360's).
The design of the Huawei Watch is a little more chunky, but it's nevertheless a well-made, solid, and premium Android Wear competitor. However, that added panache does come at a cost, with the starting cost around £299 (US$349.99, around AU$549), which is a bit more than the Moto 360.
Also competing with the Moto 360 is Samsung's Gear S2, which, despite running Tizen OS, is compatible with many Android smartphones.
The S2 is currently our favorite smartwatch, the innovative bezel makes navigating the UI incredibly simple and intuitive. The watch is well-made, but in my opinion, it's not as fetching as the Moto 360. Part of the blame lies in the Gear S2 looks like a piece of technology, instead of a modern timepiece. It has a certain futuristic chic, but the Moto 360 is more traditional, and fashion focused.
The lack of apps does let down the Gear S2's appeal. The Gear Store is certainly barren in comparison to the Google Play Store, which itself isn't exactly overflowing with apps. Whether that's a problem or not is a question that only you can answer, as wrist-based apps are one of the features we find ourselves using the least.
When the Samsung Gear S2 was first released it was more expensive than the Moto 360, priced around £249.99 ($299.99, around AU$428). But now the cost of the watch has fallen a little bit, so both can be picked up for around the same price.
Compatibility
Like the LG Watch Urbane, Asus ZenWatch 2 and the Huawei Watch, the Moto 360, too, is capable of syncing up with your iPhone.
However, the compatibility comes with a caveat, being that it's extremely limited in terms of features. You get the basic notifications … and that's about it. Your texts don't come through with the personable photos attached to your contacts and overall, the experience is nowhere near as good as it is when paired with an Android device.
If you're synced up to an iPhone, you can't offload music from Google Music to the wearable. For me, one of the biggest hindrances was a cosmetic one, in that the selection of watchfaces available is lacking, to say the least. Without Google Play access, you're bound to be disappointed with the selection.
That said, the cross-compatibility was an exciting bit of news when it was announced. More smartwatches for Apple devices than just the Apple Watch! But alas, you can't do much. I noted in the ZenWatch 2 review that it's not a complete loss if you want to only spend $149 (€149, £159.99, about AU$210) to pair up with your iPhone. But it's a bit different with the Moto 360, considering it costs far more for the same experience.
For $299 (£229, AU$329), it hardly seems worth it to use a half functioning smartwatch with your iPhone.
Battery life
The battery life of the second-generation Moto 360 has been tricky to determine. The first day, we used it with a iPhone 6S and the battery lasted for one full day – nine in the morning until nine at night – with all notifications turned on. The second day, it lasted for over a day.
Switching over to an Android-powered Galaxy S6 for two days while using a few more features, like messaging through the watch and popping on one of our choices for best Android Wear watchface, yielded similar results – one full day of usage and then one and a half days.
You can squeeze out two days if you use the watch sparingly. There's also priority mode wherein you'll only get certain notifications opposed to every single piece of, say, spam mail. Using this feature, I was actually able to get two days out of a single charge.
Charge time takes about 35 minutes on the Qi stand, or a bit closer to 45 if it's dead as a doornail. Good news for previous Moto 360 owners: your old Qi charger will work just fine. So now, you can sprinkle them about in your abode.
Verdict
There's a lot to like about the refreshed Moto 360, which is a great sign that Motorola has taken our critiques (as well as yours) to heart.
It fits better and there are more options to customize it to individual taste. The same can be said of the Asus ZenWatch 2 - which also greatly improved on its first iteration as well. However, the old Moto was already a great smartwatch that needed only a few more tweaks here and there. The second Moto accomplishes that, but there's always room for improvement. Here's to hoping the third iteration will be even better.
We liked
The new size options give the Moto 360 the extra reach it needed the first time around. That, and the newfound comfortable fit (along with the added customization to the design), brings it all together as one of the most comfortable smartwatches of 2016.
The performance of the Moto 360 has also improved over the last-generation device. It's far snappier and responsive than before. The Moto Body app is nice addition to Google Fit since it gives you more choices between fitness apps.
As lackluster as Android Wear compatibility is on iPhone, it's a stellar selling point and convenient if I want to keep wearing the watch as I switch between phones.
We disliked
The battery life is still at the one-to-two day mark. This is average for today's smartwatches, but I was hoping Moto would prove itself above average here, as it's done in virtually every other department with the 360. This makes us even more excited for the Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset, which will power the next generation of Android Wear smartwatches, with boosted performance and battery efficiency as its central improvements.
The compatibility is also a sore point for iPhone owners since they won't be able to fully utilize the Moto 360's features.
I already sang my praises for the design of the Moto, but the flat tire that hangs around the bottom of the screen is a bit of a low point. It doesn't get in the way of operability, but some of the watch faces cut off.
Final verdict
The new Moto 360 wins big as one of the best looking smartwatches to come out thus far. It's also among the most comfortable wearables I've slapped on my wrists since my days of wearing simple analog watches.
There's an impressive amount of customization here, with more watch bodies, bands and stylings that come at a fairly affordable premium – a welcome change from the limited first offerings from Motorola last year.
Apple Watch still dominates in terms of personalization, with its huge array of watch bands and body finishes. But, when it comes down to the wire, the Moto's round face is simply prettier, and the Horween leather is more snug.
At this point, though, it still has a hard time elevating itself above just that: a pretty face. The addition of Moto Body is a nice change of pace for fitness on Android Wear, but users wanting a little more functionality, like what was found in the Sony SmartWatch 3, will want to pay attention to the GPS-packing Moto 360 Sport.
For iPhone users, the Moto 360, as it stands today, is still primarily a notification machine. And an expensive one, at that.
On Android phones, the 360 does the job as a secondary tech gadget and looks fantastic while doing so. For $299 (£229, AU$329), or more if you opt for customizations, you're getting a lot of goodies. Though, I still feel that the price tag doesn't get you enough. Not at the fault of Moto, but Android Wear, which after a few years of availability is still searching for a killer app.
I do believe it's the best looking smartwatch out there and if you're determined to get a smartwatch, the new Moto 360 is as stylish as you can get for a wearable that offers more compatibility and affordable customization options than the Apple Watch.
Originally reviewed by Lily Prasuethsut
from TechRadar: Technology reviews http://ift.tt/1WJB37N
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