Moto 360 Sport: Everything you need to know about the new GPS smartwatch

A comprehensive guide on the next-gen sporty Android Wear smartwatch
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As well as the brand new Moto 360 2015, which was officially launched at IFA, Motorola also took the covers off of the Moto 360 Sport.

As you probably gathered from the name, this is a sporty version of the new Moto 360 2 Android Wear smartwatch, which is firmly aimed at those who like to get active.

Get the verdict: Moto 360 2015 review | Moto 360 Sport review

It's only the second Android Wear device to pack GPS connectivity - alongside the Sony SmartWatch 3 and goes on sale in December in Europe with a January 360 Sport launch announced for the US.

Here's the all-important spec-sheet and feature details. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Moto 360 Sport...

Moto 360 Sport: Design and build

Moto 360 Sport: Everything you need to know about the new GPS smartwatch

Taking a leaf out of Sony's book, the Moto 360 Sport features a single-structure silicone case and watch band.

The strap boasts a special UV coating to help fend off sweat, and features air vents at the side, like most GPS running watches, to keep runners' wrists cool when on the move.

Smartwatch showdown: Moto 360 2 vs Samsung Gear S2

The Sport edition is a tad thicker than the 11.4mm waistline of the new Moto 360 2, measuring in at 11.5mm thick and weighing 54g. The diameter of the front of the Sport is 45mm.

It comes in a range of different colours including black, white and "flame" orange.

Moto 360 Sport: Display

Moto 360 Sport: Everything you need to know about the new GPS smartwatch

Motorola is making a big song and dance about the display on the Moto 360 Sport, claiming it's a world's first for the new hybrid tech.

Dubbed 'AnyLight', the 1.37-inch LCD display is naturally adaptable, meaning it should be nicely backlit in dim lighting situations but be easily readable, due to natural reflective tech, when out running in sunnier conditions.

Full verdict: Moto 360 Sport verdict

Like the 42mm Moto 360 2, the display's resolution is 360 x 325. That's a 263ppi count. The LCD display is covered in Corning Gorilla Glass 3, so it should be able to handle a bit of rough and tumble on the go.

We shouldn't of course forget about that flat back tyre. Yes, that's still there too.

Moto 360 Sport: GPS and running

Moto 360 Sport: Everything you need to know about the new GPS smartwatch

The big news is that, at last, the Sony SmartWatch 3 has some Android Wear competition when it comes to GPS run tracking.

The inclusion of a GPS radio means wearers will be able to go jogging, using top running apps, such as Endomondo, Ghost Racer and RunKeeper, without needing to carry their smartphones with them.

Pace, distance and other metrics are measured and recorded using the built-in Moto Body software. Moto Body will also track lifestyle activities and keep tabs of calorie burn, steps and so on. Motorola has also talked up compatibility with the likes of Under Armour Record, Strava, MapMyRun and Fitbit.

The inclusion of an optical heart rate monitor allows users to track their bpm (beats per minute) stats on the fly and the barometric altimeter, as you've probably guessed, lets you keep tracks of your altitude climbs during walks or runs.

Moto 360 Sport: Hardware and software

Running the latest version of Android Wear, the new Moto 360 Sport is, of course, compatible with Android smartphones but, following Google's smartwatch assault on the App Store, will also play nicely with iPhones as well.

Motorola also has a new Live Dial feature for Android Wear, unique to the new Moto 360 collection, which allows users to individually tweak dials on the home screen.

Both the Moto 360 and Moto 360 Sport have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor that, according to the company, improves performance and battery life. With the Sport based on the 42mm Moto 360 2nd-gen, there's a 300mAh power pack inside, not the 400mAh offering of the 46mm model. So don't expect to be running marathons with the GPS radio switched on.

With 4GB of storage, there's a bit of room on board to store music, which can be played back when running through bluetooth headphones.

Don't take the Moto 360 Sport swimming though, it's IP67 dust and water resistant but not fully waterproof.

Moto 360 Sport: Price and release date

Moto 360 Sport: Everything you need to know about the new GPS smartwatch

The Moto 360 Sport goes on sale on 18 December in the UK and France, and will cost a pretty reasonable £219. That's £10 cheaper than the smaller Moto 360. It's still more expensive than the Sony SmartWatch 3, which you can pick up for around £150-£180 if you shop around. In the States it'll cost $299.

Expect the sporty 360 to land on Motorola.com on 7 January and at select other online retailers, including Best Buy on 10 January.

We'll be publishing a full Moto 360 Sport review as soon as we have had time to test the sporty new Android smartwatch.


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Paul Lamkin

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Wareable Media Group co-CEO Paul launched Wareable with James Stables in 2014, after working for a variety of the UK's biggest and best consumer tech publications including Pocket-lint, Forbes, Electric Pig, Tech Digest, What Laptop, T3 and has been a judge for the TechRadar Awards. 

Prior to founding Wareable, and subsequently The Ambient, he was the senior editor of MSN Tech and has written for a range of publications.


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