Motorola originally designed a budget Moto 360 2

Motorola designer leaked photos of a low-cost smartwatch
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At IFA 2015, Motorola showed off the second-generation Moto 360 in two models, the classic and Sport versions. The new Moto 360 was probably the most leaked device ever leading up to its official launch.

However, one leak that didn't see the light of day until after Motorola's press event was a so-called "value tier" model that one of the company's industrial designers published concept photos of, and then removed from public view shortly thereafter.

Motorola originally designed a budget Moto 360 2

However, the genie got out of the bottle and, thanks to EyeOnMobility, we can still see what the low-cost device was going to look like.

Read this: Hottest wearables of IFA 2015

Originally spotted on Imaan Naeem's website, the value tier Moto 360 was supposedly designed for the youth market.

From the concept photos, the case would have sported a plastic trim and there doesn't appear to be a heart monitor. The band attachment would have had a spring-loaded bar, which could be used for both NATO and regular bands.

Motorola originally designed a budget Moto 360 2

The charging contact on the backside of the watchcase implies that the device would use a physical connection to charge, as opposed to the Qi wireless charging that the standard Moto 360 has.

Hands on: New Moto 360 review

One concept image shows a variety of smartwatch bands with a sub-line that reads, "affordable | durable | adaptable". There was no information about what price point Motorola was looking for.

Motorola originally designed a budget Moto 360 2

There was also no information about why the value tier model was seemingly cancelled. However, there is a chance that Motorola is still working on the model for a later release date. Here's hoping.


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Lory is a freelance technology writer, who specializes in apps and games. She now works as a contract editor for Apple.

Lory has written for iMore, Lilliput Computing and Applewatchdaily.com.


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