LG has announced its first all-metal Android Wear smartwatch, the luxurious LG Watch Urbane, set to make its official debut at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2015.
The wearable device market really took off in 2014 and things are expected to heat up even further this year, with various companies launching new iterations of their smart devices or making their first foray into the market.
The Apple Watch is one of the most hotly-anticipated wearables of this year, but although it made its debut a good while ago, it will not hit retail until April. Other device manufacturers are preparing to counter the release of the Apple Watch with new gadgets of their own, and LG now has a sleek new smartwatch called the LG Watch Urbane to show off.
"As its name suggests, the smartwatch is designed for a sophisticated and cosmopolitan wearer that delivers unparalleled technology and performance. LG Watch Urbane is the perfect device for wearers looking to add both style and high-tech flare to their everyday lives," the company explained in a press release on Monday, Feb. 16.
The new LG Watch Urbane builds on the popular LG G Watch R, which launched last October as the first smartwatch with a full circular Plastic OLED (P-OLED) display. The LG G Watch R, however, was designed for active users, whereas the new LG Watch Urbane is more formal, boasting a thinner profile that makes it suitable for both men and women.
"Resembling a luxury timepiece, LG combined a classic design and innovative features to add style and convenience to everyday life while raising the already high standards set by its predecessor," further touts the company.
The LG Watch urbane sports the same 1.3-inch circular P-OLED display as its predecessor, but comes with a narrower bezel that gives it a more fashionable and elegant look. In terms of build material and design options, the smartwatch features a stainless steel body that comes in polished silver and gold finish, complete with a natural leather strap. Wearers will also be able to replace that strap with any 22mm-wide band.
When it comes to specifications, the LG Watch Urbane sports a resolution of 320 x 320 at 245 pixels per inch (ppi) and packs a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor under the hood, 4GB of internal storage, 512MB of RAM, a 410 mAh battery, and IP67 certification for dust and water resistance. Like its predecessor, the new LG Watch Urbane comes with a built-in photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor that measures the wearer's heart rate and pulse during exercise. The Always-On ambient mode, meanwhile, always shows the time on the display, but in a dimmed manner so it wouldn't drain battery life.
On the software side, the LG Watch Urbane runs Google's Android Wear OS, and is compatible with smartphones running Android 4.3 and newer.
"The LG Watch Urbane's classic design and smart features make it the perfect smartwatch to complement our G Watch and G Watch R, which were designed as more casual and active devices," said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "LG Watch Urbane is an important part of our strategy to develop wearable devices that are worn and viewed as everyday accessories, not electronic gadgets."
LG has yet to offer more details regarding the price and release of the new LG Watch Urbane, but said it would provide more information in local markets at the time of availability. The company will be showing off its latest gadget at the MWC 2015.
