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Ever since Google first announced the Android Wear program back in March, showing off the fashionably round faced Moto 360 and the more functional rectangular G Watch from LG, the wearables market has seen a surge in interest. And while LG may have come out a couple of weeks ago and stated that their G Watch will become available in Europe in June, selling for €199 ($272), Motorola haven’t been quite so forthcoming. The latest rumor regarding the release and pricing of Motorola’s Moto 360 comes courtesy of the French technology site Journaldugeek.com who believe that the Moto 360 will be released in July at a price of €249 ($341). It’s important to stress here, that while the French site states that they received this tip from ‘their source’, the information isn’t officially confirmed . So, whilst it’s entirely plausible, it should still be taken with a small pinch of salt.
Firstly, lets talk about the rumored release date; the Moto 360 will be launched sometime in July. It’s entirely plausible. On the one hand it would make sense for the Moto 360 to be launched after Google’s I/O conference in June to take advantage of the interest generated by developers and technology sites such as Android Headlines. On the other hand, it would make just as much sense to launch before I/O just as LG are doing, so that when the masses become interested in the Moto 360, they aren’t having to wait to get their hands on one.
Secondly, the price. The LG G Watch might be priced at €199 ($272), but design-wise, one could argue that the Moto 360 is higher up on the fashion pole, and as such, is worthy of a slightly higher price tag. Is the Moto 360 worth a 25% bump in price though? Time will tell if the €249 price point is correct.
Personally, I’m going to throw my salt away on this portion of the rumor and go with the July launch. Why? Because I believe that Motorola have the better product, that the Moto 360 is the Android Wear smart watch that people will be more likely to wait for. Whereas, for me, LG’s G Watch is the smart watch that people will purchase simply because it’s the only one available. I’m more skeptical regarding the bump in price over LG’s offering. One thing for certain is that with Samsung currently taking over 70% of the wearables market with their Gear smart watches, the competition cannot come soon enough for the consumer.
As with any rumor though, until it’s been officially confirmed, it cannot be taken as gospel. Let us know your opinion on this rumor in the comments or at our Google Plus page.