Motorola will not release Moto 360 3rd generation in 2017. In an interview with The Verge, Shakil Barkat, head of global product development at Moto disclosed that there is not much demand in the market for Moto smartwatches. Hence, there is no scope to launch a successor to Moto 360 in the near future.
We expect the arrival of Android Wear 2.0 before the end of Q1 2017. Hence, manufacturers are gearing up to launch new smartwatches powered by the new platform. The announcement from Barkat comes as a big surprise since analysts were expecting Moto branded smartwatches in 2017.
He further added that wearables don’t have a wide attention among consumers like smartphones. Hence, there is no point to manufacture new models each year. Even though the imminent release of Android Wear is expected, the launch of a new Moto 360 3rd generation model is not on the roadmap of the company.
Moto is gearing up to launch smartphones. However, the handsets don’t substitute for a wrist-worn gadget such as a smartwatch. Barkat points out that there is no relevance in the release of new Moto 360 watch until the technology of wearables gets a big boost.
Even though Barkat squashes the hope of an upcoming Moto 360 model, he reveals that there is a value for smartwatches. Going forward, smartwatches provides great value to consumers than the currently available watches.
As of writing this, smartwatches are expensive from top manufacturers like Apple and Samsung. You will be able to purchase several gadgets in the name of Bands from popular vendors such as Xiaomi and Fitbit. These bands are priced in such a way to suit average consumers.
Barkat declined to reveal further information when asked The Verge reporter asked him to provide a detailed roadmap for smart watches manufactured by Motorola. If Motorola decides not to release Android Wear 2.0 powered smartwatch, then it will be a big blow not only to the platform but also to the smart watches segment. Currently, the smartwatch market is on a decline and Motorola’s decision will only add fuel to fire.
Meanwhile, the overall sales of Apple Watch Series continue to surge though we don’t have any official statistics.
