In the long-term, Android Wear isn't likely to be about just a small handful of watches. Fashion and individuality often go hand-in-hand, and now we're starting to see some of the early Android Wear watch-makers reflect that, making different smartwatches for different styles. The latest? LG's all-metal take on the G Watch R, the LG Watch Urbane.
The LG Watch Urbane (no "G" this time around) takes the same 1.3-in P-OLED display we saw in the G Watch R, and puts it on a stainless steel body. While it carries the same basic design language as its cousin, the LG Watch Urbane loses the diver watch-inspired dial in favor of a cleaner aesthetic.
Curiously, LG describes the Watch Urbane as having a thinner profile than the G Watch R, but its specs suggest otherwise. The press release lists the new model at 10.9 mm (0.43-in) thick, while our records have the G Watch R coming in at 9.7 mm (0.38-in) thick. Typo, perhaps?
(update: LG's press release also mentions "narrower bezels," so we're guessing "thinner profile" is, somewhat misleadingly, referring to that)
The company is boasting that the new model is better suited for fashion, and can be worn by either men or women (the G Watch R was quite the masculine-looking gizmo). The new model ships with a leather band, but, like many smartwatches, that can be swapped for a standard 22 mm band.
Of course it runs Android Wear, and everything else appears to be identical to the G Watch R on the inside. Same screen, same Snapdragon 400 processor and same battery capacity. Ditto for its heart rate sensor. It could have just as easily been called "LG G Watch R: Stainless Steel Edition."
No word yet on pricing, but we wouldn't be shocked if the all-metal watch rings up for a bit more than its predecessor's US$300 price tag. LG will be showing off the fashionable Urbane at Mobile World Congress early next month, where Gizmag will be on the ground.
