LG's new smartwatch may take go 'Moto' way

LG is wasting no time getting a second smartwatch out into the world, if a teaser video it posted to YouTube is any indication. 

The LG G Watch is just weeks on the market, but LG will debut its successor, possibly called the LG R Watch, at IFA 2014, according to this video. 

And unlike the square-faced LG G Watch, the R Watch (or LG G Watch R?) has a circular face — which is probably where the "R" comes from. 

The circular smartwatch everyone already knows is the Motorola Moto 360, but the LG R Watch could have it beat in at least one important way. 

A perfect circle
With fancy-looking graphics and some comically epic sound effects, LG's teaser video makes quite a kerfuffle about the new Android Wear smartwatch's perfectly round face. 

This focus on "a perfect circle" may be a dig at the Moto 360, which has a "horizon line" along the bottom that interrupts its circular screen, although the watch face itself is still rounded. 
The G Watch R teaser video appeared on LG's official YouTube channel, so it's definitely legit.
Now we'll just have to wait until IFA in September to find out what's really going on here — and what the name of LG's new smartwatch really is.

Moto 360 Android Wear Smartwatch Specs

Details of the recently announced Moto 360 have begun to emerge, following a Google Hangout session with Motorola's lead designer, Jem Wicks, and an interview with him posted on The Verge. Motorola reportedly went through multiple rounds of designs and experimented with screen-friendly square shapes before settling on the round design that felt more familiar and natural to watch users.

The diameter of the device is 46mm, which should be able to accommodate a 1.8-inch diameter screen. The device can sense its orientation and flip the screen contents accordingly, which should make the Moto 360 ambidextrous.

Also confirmed during the hangout was the fact that the Moto 360 is made of stainless steel and is designed to be water resistant, though the extent of that is not known. Users will be able to use swipe gestures and voice input, but the Android Watch device is meant to interact with a smartphone, and does not have a camera or other such features of its own.

The Moto 360 will work with any smartphone running Android 4.3 or newer versions. Ars Technica notes that Notification Access APIs were introduced in Android 4.3, and this functionality is what allows notifications to be read and dismissed via Bluetooth, along with relevant imagery and action commands such as replying to messages, retweeting tweets, and skipping tracks in music apps.

Wicks is clear that the Moto 360 is not for only early adopters or tech-savvy users (which might be a reference to the Pebble's humble beginnings and Samsung Galaxy Gear's feature overload), but for everyone.

Google Now is heavily integrated, as are voice commands. Similar to the Moto X's passive listening feature, the Moto 360 can respond to voice commands triggered by saying "OK Google" without any specific button press. Wicks notes that user interface elements must be simplified, but not as far as "a Dieter Rams-like super-simplified kind of thing" (which is a reference to Apple's design philosophy and inspiration).

More specific details, such as expected battery life and cost, were not discussed. 

Android Wear..The Truly Smart Watch...From the House of Google

You'll also be able to say "OK Google" to perform voice searches, à la Google Now. Lastly, the company is teasing multi-screen functionality from the smartwatches that use the operating system. As an example, Google says that you can use a voice command to cast a video to your Chromecast or get a certain song to play on your phone. It's not hard to imagine more exciting uses for this technology as Google works to get Android into more hardware around the world, such as the connected smarthomes and cars of the future.

Google is officially getting into wearables. The company has announced Android Wear, a version of the operating system designed specifically for wearable devices. To start with, the system is made for smartwatches, and Google is moving aggressively to make itself the key name in wearables.

The company has released two videos that show off what the watch interface will look like, and from what we've seen, it's very impressive. In addition, Motorola and LG have already revealed their first Android Wear smartwatches, which look more attractive than any smartwatches we've seen to date. Motorola's first device is featured in the picture above and the videos below.

There are several key features that have been announced. Of course, fitness is a key component. Google says that you'll be able to get "real-time speed, distance and time information on your wrist for your run, cycle or walk." Naturally, that means Google Maps will be built in so that you'll be able to get directions directly from your wrist.

The company will also be using Google Now in the watches. Automatic, passive reminders will be sent to users via their smartwatch. The watches will also connect with Android smartphones so that you'll be able to get all the notifications that you want from whatever apps you have installed on your phone.

Google is working to make sure these watches aren't hideous: Fossil and other "fashion brands" will apparently offer watches using the operating system later this year. The company says it is also already working with current Android partners like Asus, HTC, LG, Motorola, and Samsung on wearables. LG's first device with Android Wear will be called the G Watch, and it's being produced in collaboration with Google just like the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 before it. The device will be available in the second quarter of this year.lt off of the work the company did on Google Glass. The operating system looks fairly similar to the interface used by the controversial wearable. It's possible that Google has transformed that work into something that's less polarizing.

We'll hear much more about Wear at Google I/O in June

Today's announcement follows comments from Android and Chrome chief Sundar Pichai at SXSW last week. He confirmed that the company was working on offering tools for developers and manufacturers to make Android better suited for devices such as smartwaches. In addition, Google recently purchased Nest, the makers of the Nest Learning Thermostat and the Protect smoke detector. It's still unclear what role Nest will be taking within the company.

Google isn't offering specific details on when we can expect to see more about Android Wear — or what other devices will use the system in the future — but a preview of the operating system is available now so that developers can make sure their app notifications will work with Wear.

We expect to hear much, much more about Android Wear at Google I/O from June 25th to 26th, which is just a couple of months away. Of particular interest is how Google plans to use Android Wear in other devices beyond smartwatches.

Update: Google informs us that the circular watch in the preview videos is Motorola's upcoming smartwatch. In addition, we've been told that LG will not be the first to ship an Android Wear smartwatch — it will be "one of the first." We regret the error.

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