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Wearables

Moto 360 2 faces off against the original in new leak

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The clear-as-day leak gives us a chance to see how the next generation Moto 360 differs from its predecessor, and one notable thing is the size.

The new Moto 360 looks slightly smaller than the original, sporting the same black flat tire design. However rumours suggest were in for two versions of the new Moto 360, with one being larger with a beefier battery, which means we might be looking at the smaller one in this image.

The photo was shared on the Hellomotohk Facebook page, where it calls the new Moto 360 the Moto 360s. We’ve also heard two versions rumoured before, so we’re inclined to believe it’s true.

The leak also matches what we’ve already seen from the new Moto 360. That includes new strap lugs as well as the repositioning of the right-side button that’s now been moved to the 2 o’clock point. 

We’re expecting Motorola to unveil the Moto 360 2 (or whatever it’s called) at IFA 2015 which kicks off next week. It’ll do battle with the Huawei Watch and the Samsung Gear S2 which are also due to launch. 

The world had high hopes for the first Moto 360 but, while it stood out from other smartwatches for its stunning design, it was criticised for its poor battery life and underwhelming chipset. Can Motorola duly deliver this time around with a worthy rival for the Apple Watch? Time will tell.

Moto 360 (2015): everything we think we know

This Samsung Galaxy Edge smartwatch concept is a beautiful idea

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Samsung was first out of the gates with a smartwatch with what many interpreted to be a rushed response to the rumours of the Apple Watch.

We’ve now seen over six different versions of Samsung attempting to do a smartwatch right and nothing has really blown us away, all of them have had their faults. The Gear A is the first we expect to see since Apple joined the game meaning Samsung needs to up its game considerably.

A new concept from Maform shows off what Samsung could achieve with its new found design techniques it introduced in the Galaxy S6 Edge. The concept clearly takes some influence from the Apple Watch as well.

The images show off some removable straps as well as a curved screen to offer more real estate without having to make it any bigger on the wrist. It even clips onto your straps making it much easier to take off and charge or switch accessories.

If Samsung did this we’d hope it’d make some apps compatible with the side screens that it didn’t manage to achieve for the Galaxy S6 Edge when it launched.

It all just looks a lot more stylish than what Samsung has achieved so far – most of us wouldn’t be embarrassed to place one of these on our wrists.

That’s what we all want from these devices as well, it’s more about fashion than functionality so fingers crossed Samsung can use its new found design credentials and put them to good use. 

Via YankoDesign

How many Apple Watches have flown off the shelves?

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Apple has lumped the Watch into the ‘other’ category which includes the iPod, Beats and Apple TV – which is about a much use to everyone as a chocolate teapot.

What Apple did tell us is that sales in the ‘other’ category were up 56%. Now, that isn’t really hard considering the category compromises of several different devices, and the Watch is an entirely new device. The general consensus is that Apple has shifted between 2.5 million and 3 million Apple Watch’s, which if you compare to the iPhone is a small speck of the tech giant’s total sales.

According to the BBC, Apple chiefs said: “We made a decision back in September not to disclose the shipments of the watch.” They went on to say “It was not a matter of being transparent it was a matter of not giving your competition insight on a product we’ve worked hard on." 

Whether that’s the case, or whether Apple is hiding low sale figures to avoid people loosing confidence is another matter.

How are other Apple Products faring?

Apple sold 47.5 million iPhone units in the past 3 months, which is up 35 per cent this time last year. Again this is not surprising as the iPhone 6 – released last September – was the most popular iPhone to date, replacing the lacklustre 5S.

Unfortunately for Apple, sales of the iPad are down for the 6th consecutive quarter. This could be due to the iPhone 6 Plus stealing the limelight with its whopping screen, but it's also a statement on the tablet market. Those who want have already got one. And once people have one, they're happy with it for a long while. 

Now why not check out our predictions for the iPhone 6S?

New Android Wear features incoming: interactive watch faces and more

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What’s up next for Android Wear? Google’s smartwatch OS is to get official support for watch faces you can interact with and a system that’ll let you send your heart rate or a scribble to another Wear user.

One is long overdue, the other nicked from the Apple Watch, but we’ll be glad to see them arrive in August, which is when Phandroid says the update is coming.

Interactive watch faces will let you do things like switch the colour of the clock with a tap, or cycle through screens such as weather, fitness tracker stats and your next calendar appointment. It sounds like watch face devs will have much more control in the future.

With any luck it’ll mean you have to use Android Wear’s insides even less often.

The new Android Wear communicator feature is called Together, and will let you send little digital notes to your Wear-wearing friends. If you have any.

Phandroid says, according to the code, this is actually restricted to a single special watch face, but we imagine it’ll be opened up by the time we get hold of it.

With any luck the Android Wear update will feature a few more goodies than this leak covers too.

We’re getting a Casio smartwatch next year

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The wearable tech race is really hotting up. Tech brands like Apple, LG and Motorola have released smartwatches, and now established watch companies like Tag Heuer are having a piece of the action. But the latest contender is none other than Casio, which reportedly has big plans for 2016.

According to The Wall Street Journal – which cites sources familiar with the project – Casio plans to release a smartwatch by the end of March next year.

Unlike other examples, this one is apparently more like a watch with smart capabilities rather than a true smartwatch. Sources claim the Casio smartwatch is affordable, "won't break easily, is simple to put on and feels good to wear.”

The report noted that this new product was announced as one of Casio's founding four brothers stepped down after being president for 27 years. His son is now in charge, and that means Casio is being helmed by a newer, younger generation. With that in mind, the company wants to craft its own wearable – one that doesn’t break the bank and is comfortable to don.  

As for its purpose, the Casio smartwatch will be aimed at men who have an interest in outdoor sports and leisure. Apparently this will not only be reflected in its design but also functionality – which suggests some kind of fitness tracking technology will be on board.

Sources claim Casio is thinking about slapping a $400 (about £250) price tag on it, which would price it higher than a lot of Android Wear watches, but that’s not set in stone. Considering its lack of tech, we’d expect it to arrive for less.

The Casio smartwatch is tipped to launch in March 2016. No other details, including specs, have been announced but we’ll update when we hear more.

Can’t find the smartwatch for you? Check out our best smartwatch round-up for a help in hand.  

Note: This is a syndicated post, which originally appeared at T3.com