It seems that Motorola has confirmed on Twitter that their original Android Wear device – the first generation Moto 360 – will not be taking the path to Android 2.0 when it is released later this year. The device was first available to purchase in September 2014, and assuming Android Wear 2.0 is released in September 2016 as we are expecting, that gives us a 2-year life cycle for this device.
Unfortunately, Moto360 1 Gen will not receive the new update 2.0
— Motorola Support (@Moto_Support) June 10, 2016
Being an owner of an original Moto 360, I’m not really sure how I feel about this. I am currently reviewing a Moto 360 Sport and can attest that the performance of the original Moto 360 pales in comparison, so it is quite likely that the device simply isn’t up to running Android Wear 2.0. It would be better to have the devices ‘stranded’ on an older version rather than upgraded and not perform well.
However, the LG G Watch is also not getting the update, and has the same basic insides almost other Android Wear devices so it’s not getting upgraded seems more to do with development costs than device limitations. Regardless of the reasons, they aren’t getting updated. Could this become the trend? Even though the majority of the Android Wear development is handled by Google each OEM still has a role to play in rolling it out on their devices. Will OEM’s end-of-life Android Wear devices after two years?
Smartwatches are a nascent platform and there hasn’t been a large-scale test of how consumers will react to their devices not being included in the latest updates. If the level of complaints about delayed updates to Android Wear devices is any indication however, we should prepare for internet outrage.
How do you feel about 2-year-old devices being end-of-life? Let us know below.
The second generation brought some worthwhile improvements but not enough to upgrade. As others have said I’m waiting for NFC, a speaker & the new generation of processor before I upgrade.
IMO, there isn’t really a market for people to replace their watches every 2yrs, on top of the cost of replacing phones, tablets and now watches, if they keep forcing you to upgrade, most people just won’t bother, you’re looking at like $1k every year. Hard to justify for the everyday person! My ‘normal’ watch Seiko watch is 12yrs old and still looks and functions as good as the day I bought it (mind you weighs about 25% given it’s titanium) and it cost about the same. Once my LG G Watch become unusable, I’ll probably go back to a… Read more »
I’m in the boat of “it works well now, I don’t want it upgraded at the expense of performance.” I had an iPhone 3G way back when, and the updates basically made the phone so slow it was unusable. If the hardware can’t cut it, leave it. I still enjoy the watch to the maximum extent if not more so than when I bought it.
As much as I’d like a change, I’m ok with the decision.
I installed Wear 2.0 on my Huawatch just to check it out and it is HEAPS faster. The OG Moto360 would definitely benefit, but it just comes down to just removing support for older devices to better focus resources on other things.
While I would of loved Wear 2.0 for my Moto360, two years seems about right for a watches life. I’m waiting for an NFC enabled one to move onto my second Android Wear watch!
I too am awaiting on that. If it’s not announced when the Huawei Watch 2 comes out I may jump.
Agreed. Hoping huawei watch 2-has nfc, and wireless charging
The other thing I want is the night clock mode from the Moto 360 (as pictured above) its now my bedside clock, not sure I can live without it now
NFC would be cool…
But if you’re missing out on functionality for something that we’re not certain to get in any specific timeline, is it worth the wait?
I am not sure there is a killer feature that is that much better with the current watches or in the 2.0 update that makes it a necessity to move from my Moto360. Speaker support might be nice and better performance/battery life would be great but there isn’t a killer feature when compared how good NFC on the watch would be!
My dream/hope is that they didn’t announce NFC at I/O as they were hanging onto it for the shipping release and new Watch announcements! My OMG hope is: Nexus Watch! 😉
I think we have some chance of getting NFC, but with the software model of Android Wear I don’t see them doing a Nexus watch any time soon, happy to be wrong of course 🙂