Lenovo owned Moto (formerly “Motorola”) today revealed that the company won’t be releasing a new smartwatch next year. What’s special next year, you might be wondering? Well, the Android maker, Google is releasing the next version of its smartwatch OS, Android Wear 2.0.
Earlier this year, Moto had said that the company won’t be releasing a smartwatch this year. As to why, the company is not releasing a smartwatch every year, Moto product development head, Shakil Barkat, said that, the company doesn’t think anyone’s actually interested in smartwatches. As quoted by Shakil, the company doesn’t “see enough pull in the market to put [a new smartwatch] out at this time”.
He also said that the company doesn’t finds it necessary to release a new smartwatch every year. “Wearables do not have broad enough appeal for us to continue to build on it year after year,” in Shakil Barkat’s own words.
Google was initially supposed to release Android Wear 2.0 this year but for reasons unknown it has been delayed to next year. It’s not shocking to see Android Wear manufacturers take a back seat; maybe for a while.
“We believe the wrist still has value and there will be a point where they provide value to consumers more than they do today”, said Barkat. Moto may not be completely leaving the smartwatch game, maybe it’s just toying with different ideas.
Whatever the future holds, one thing can’t be denied, the fact that Moto created one of the finest Android Wear smartwatches. The circular Moto 360, also the second generation, were beautiful, they were priced correctly too.
The Moto 360 will be remembered. However, smartwatches were supposed to be the next big thing but that didn’t happen. Even Apple tried but failed at it. Or maybe it’s just too early comment.