As is the case with previous Moto 360 smartwatches, this version is targeted at people who need a general-purpose device. Something that looks good, runs apps, and can play media. This is a welcome change, given the propensity for smartwatch manufacturers to aggressively target their products at a small niche of fitness-focused consumers.
At the heart of the device is last-year’s Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100. Although slightly long in the tooth, this remains the chipmaker’s most current wearable-focused silicon, largely due to the unhurried nature of the smartwatch market. For what it’s worth, a successor is in the works, with references to the Snapdragon Wear 3300 recently appearing on XDA-Developers. I digress, the Snapdragon Wear 3100 comes with four ARM Cortex-A7 cores and is paired with a co-processor for low-power tasks. This is designed to address battery issues, which traditionally have been a long-standing issue for WearOS-powered smartwatches. It also comes with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, as well as fast-charging that sees the device reach 100 percent power in just sixty short minutes. Punters get three choices of design: rose gold, stainless steel, and phantom black. It also includes both silicon and leather wrist bands. Pre-orders open up on November 12, with devices shipping later in December. In the US, it’ll retail at $350, with UK and Eurozone pricing at £339 and €349 respectively.
