http://youtu.be/1STW7LQXONo
So far we’ve seen just square ones. I’m saying so because the only round smartwatch to launch is not yet available at a retail store where you can walk in, play with it and walk out with one or simply order online. We’ll probably see it at the IFA. As will LG’s next smartwatch, the LG G Watch R. Well, at least that’s the name you get after watching the video above. Nothing more.
In the video, which is actually unlisted on LG’s YouTube channel and only came to the world’s attention after it caught the hawk-eyed Engadget editors, uses words like “round the corners, round the bends, feel the bends”… There are a couple of watchfaces visible as the video enters its final frames and the title itself is simply “LG’s New Wearable. Of course as of now we know its not a fitness band, a kid’s wearable like KizOn but rather LG’s second smartwatch. This comes just two months since LG G Watch was unveiled on stage at Google I/O and marked LG’s first entry into the wearables market. We’ve heard recently from Korean media that LG has been planning an IFA announcement of a sequel to the Android Wear-powered G Watch and this rounded R could as well be it.
New data from Canalys shows that wearable shipments rose by a record 684% in the first half of 2014 so we should be seeing more of this going forward. Samsung is already on the driving seat as it accounts for majority of sales and is expected to announce its smartphone-independent smartwatch with cellular device capabilities, the Gear Solo at the IFA. Asus too is expected to join the ‘smart race’ while long timer Sony is reportedly doing final touches on its first Android Wear device despite swearing in the past that they won’t be abandoning their in-house effort for anything else. In fact Asus can’t wait as it has been dropping hints on its social media media pages for the longest time, just in case no one had noticed their earlier efforts.
Anyway, the IFA is here so the wait won’t be long. See what happens when there’s no one to ruin the surprise and leak your carefully crafted product months or weeks prior to launch? More teasers please!
