After a three-year-long wait, Google finally debuted the next iteration –Android Wear 2.0 — of its smartwatch operating system. This debut was accompanied with the launch of a couple new LG smartwatches, namely Sport and Style. And we already had information about almost everything there was to know about them prior to their launch. But, Verizon has today surprised us with their own-brand smartwatch debut ‘Wear24’.
The U.S-based telecom behemoth hasn’t released much information about their debut smartwatch, but the design aesthetics look similar to those adopted by LG. The internals packed inside Wear24 are also said to be on the higher side, which means it’s almost identical to the LG Sport smartwatch released earlier in the day. Wear 24 includes GPS, 4G LTE connectivity, and heart-rate monitor to enable the standalone capabilities alongside maintaining a focus on fitness.
As for LG Sport, the bulky smartwatch developed in collaboration with Google includes a 1.38-inch always on AMOLED display having 348 PPI pixel density. It is powered by a 1.1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor coupled with 4 GB of internal memory and 768 MB of RAM. It is also powered by an enhanced 430 mAh battery — twice larger than the one included in LG Style.
The Wear24 smartwatch has been built along these guidelines, but it adds to the mix by making their offering water resistant. The watch can withstand being submerged in up to 3.3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. Other features remain common with Android Wear 2.0, which is now being rolled out to all developers and most existing watches. It is the biggest update for this watch-focused OS and adds support for new features like — standalone Play Store, Android Pay, and redesigned/powerful watchfaces.
But, the biggest differentiating factor which sets the two smartwatches apart is their retail price. While LG has decided to make their watch available for purchase at $329.99, Verizon has undercut the same by $30. The Wear24 smartwatch will retail at $299 along with the 2-year activation plan but one can also include this smartwatch to their existing plan by paying an extra $5/month.
