Motorola teases Moto 360 smartwatch, new phones for 9/4 event
The company plans the unveiling of its eagerly anticipated smartwatch and possibly new versions of its Moto X and Moto G smartphones.
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Motorola Mobility's Moto 360 smartwatch will finally get its official launch.
After several teases and a guest appearances at Google's I/O developer conference in June, the smartwatch will get a proper debut and launch at an event held in Chicago on September 4. In addition, the invitation features images of a G and X smartphone, and an audio accessory, suggesting sequels to the Moto X and Moto G, and possibly a Bluetooth headset.
A company spokeswoman confirmed that there would be multiple products at the event.
Motorola is in the last legs as a Google-owned company -- it is still slated to be acquired by Lenovo -- but is making splashes with its products. The Moto X was critically lauded for its clean interface and predictive features, while the Moto G was seen as an affordable, but powerful, smartphone. The Moto 360 stuck a chord as a different-looking smartwatch, employing a circular face and premium materials, which helped it stand out from the crowd.
While developers at the Google I/O conference cheered when they found out they were getting a Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch smartwatch, they groaned even louder when they heard they wouldn't be getting a Moto 360 right away, indicating strong interest and excitement.
Still, Motorola has picked a busy period for its launch event. It comes a day after Samsung's splashy, three city Unpacked event, with Samsung expected to unveil the Galaxy Note 4, a virtual reality device, and another smartwatch. The week after, Apple is widely expected to unveil the new iPhone at an event on September 9.
While the Moto 360 has a unique look, it runs on the same Android Wear software, Google's platform for wearable products, as other recent smartwatch. As such, the user interface will likely be similar to what's found on Samsung and LG's Android Wear-powered devices.
Check back in with CNET for all the live details from Motorola's event.
