Rs.19,999 onwards
Motorola’s first-generation 360 smartwatch was the poster boy for the Android Wear ecosystem, with subsequent price revisions making it considerably more enticing. Now its successor is here, but the experience is only a little better.
The new 360 retains the 46mm size. It is still very pretty to look at—those who prefer the metal bands would like the black and silver colour option, and there is also the black leather strap. Motorola also provides additional links in the box, in case the default length is too tight for your wrist.
This watch is tough too. It has the IP67 rating, which means it’s water- and dust-resistant. The screen has a Gorilla Glass 3 layer to protect it from scratches.
While the previous Moto 360 was powered by a Texas Instruments OMAP3 single-core processor, the new one gets a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core chip. The big advantage is that the newer architecture and the Snapdragon 400’s lower power consumption have a positive impact on battery life. The 512 MB RAM and 4 GB internal storage remain the same.
Motorola has replaced the 300 mAh battery with a 400 mAh pack. The net result is that the watch retains around 30% battery at 8pm, after being fully charged at 7am. The previous generation Moto 360 retained around 20%. Double-clicking the crown puts the screen to sleep, further conserving battery life.
While the new 360 has the same 1.56-inch in-plane switching (IPS) screen, it has a better resolution—360x330 pixels, against 320x290 pixels. This does mean there is a visible improvement in the sharpness of the text on screen, and the overall clarity. Visibility in bright sunlight is better too, because the screen is a tad brighter.
The fitness aspect is a big focus area for the new Moto 360. It includes the heart-rate sensor and the Moto Body app that keeps tabs on the heart, steps walked, and calories.
The wireless charging dock remains the same, and it still looks very futuristic as it sits on the night stand.
The Moto 360 (second generation) is incrementally, but not dramatically, better than its predecessor. Wear as a platform still doesn’t feel as slick to use as the Apple WatchOS, and the gamut of quick settings, app drawer and Google Now Cards can make the entire thing seem pretty cluttered at times.
