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LG Outs Its Moto 360 Killer, the Round-Faced G Watch R

LG's latest smartwatch is a particularly well-rounded device.

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The rapidly growing smartwatch category gained a new challenger today, with LG officially announcing its latest creation: the LG G Watch R.

Unlike the original rectangular G Watch, this new model has a familiar round face, comprised of a 1.3-inch Plastic OLED (P-OLED) 320x320 display. It's clearly intended to take on the as-yet-unreleased Moto 360 smartwatch from Motorola.

By switching to a round face, the G Watch R better disguises itself as an everyday timepiece, with the display able to show a number of faces that resemble those of analog watches. It comes equipped with a 22mm interchangeable leather strap that also looks more traditional than most smartwatch straps.

The LG G Watch R doesn't replace the original G Watch, but it seriously updates the look.

The LG G Watch R doesn't replace the original G Watch, but it seriously updates the look.

Though the G Watch R could pass for an old-school timepiece, under the hood it's got plenty of modern computing power. It features a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, 4GB storage, 512MB of RAM, and a bevy of sensors—from a 9-axis gyro/accelerometer/compass to a barometer and heart rate monitor.

The G Watch R runs on the Android Wear operating system, meaning it will be compatible with all phones running Android 4.3 and higher. It's currently slated for release in early Q4 of this year, though pricing hasn't yet been revealed.

The G Watch R's round face should better appeal to consumers who want a smartwatch that looks like a watch.

The G Watch R's round face should better appeal to consumers who want a smartwatch that looks like a watch.

We'll have a hands-on look at the G Watch R at IFA 2014 next week, so keep an eye on Reviewed.com for full coverage of this and all the other major announcements from the Messe Berlin.

Source: LG Newsroom

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