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Popular UK retailer Clove has given our first indication of launch plans for the LG G Watch R outside of South Korea. The company has updated their G Watch R listing to note that first stock is expected to land as early as tomorrow, with orders beginning to ship Monday, October 27th. Folks should expect to see the watch arrive on their doorsteps early that week, and we imagine most of the initial orders will be fulfilled by Halloween.
The G Watch R is the first circular smart watch to launch since Motorola’s Moto 360, and while it may not be getting the same level of hype that particular unit received it’s still anticipated by many. Its sporty look adds to its appeal for many, though that same look is what moved many others to go with the Moto 360 or hold off for something else down the line.
LG’s experience with Android Wear began with the LG G Watch and it wasn’t a bad first attempt at all. That should give everyone confidence that they’ll follow up with a device worthy of your attention and money once it finally lands outside of South Korean borders. Let us know if you’ll be giving LG’s latest wrist dweller a shot once it arrives.
[Update]: LG has announced official global launch plans for the LG G Watch R. Alongside the UK, they’ve confirmed France, Italy and Spain as some of the first European countries slated to get the smart watch. Those rollouts will happen throughout early November.
LG says North America, the rest of Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States will get it “soon after,” and we also get confirmation that the smart watch would be made available via Google Play in select markets (though we didn’t expect anything less considering every Android Wear smart watch to date has launched there). We’ll be on the lookout for exact release date details for more regions and will certainly deliver them to you as they become available.
This is the watch that I have been waiting for to replace my G Watch
This will probably be my 1st AW watch. Just need to get some hands-on time with one.
Again, this is not the first “circular” watch to launch since the 360. This is the first circular Android Wear / smart watch ever.
The 360 is round-ish, but is not circular. Give them credit for being first. They have earned it.
“earned it”? motorola could have made a fully circular moto 360. the rest of the display is circular so it’s not like they couldn’t make a circular display. they CHOSE to build a watch with a bigger display with almost no bezel.
i’m tired of everyone complaining of the flat tire look and completely forgetting that the 360 has no bezel (practically no bezel)!
Motorola did not release a watch with a circular display. LG is releasing a watch with a circular display. Pretty black and white.
You’ve misread Ali Ali’s post. He didn’t say at all that Motorola released a circular display. He says that they could have released a circular display but this would have meant a much thicker bezel all the way around the watch like the LG G Watch R. However, Motorola decided to keep the bezels as small as possible by having the flat tyre look. It appears that there is some technical limitation on creating a fully circular display with extremely thin bezels.
I didn’t misread anything. It doesn’t matter if Moto *could* have released a circular display with a larger bezel. They didn’t. LG is the first company to do it.
Yeah with a huge ugly thick bezel around it. Put it this way, that bezel is so huge they could hide the Moto 360’s flat tyre under it, except LG’s flat tyre look goes all the way around the face so it effectively creates a much smaller complete circle.
Smaller than what? It’s the only complete circle option. :P
You’re back pedaling on your original comment that the 360 is not a circular watch (not display), which it obviously is. So the 360 is the first circular smart watch, contrary to your original comment.
Try again. The 360 is not a circle. That’s all I’m saying. I’m not even saying the LG is better. I’m just saying they deserve credit for being the first to release a circular (not “round-ish”) display.
The flat tire display has nothing to do with the fact that the 360 is a circular watch. The watch itself, the chassis, the casing, is circular. The display could be a triangle and the 360 would still be a circular watch.
I’ve been talking about the display this whole time.
Words matter: “Again, this is not the first “circular” watch to launch since the 360. This is the first circular Android Wear / smart watch ever.”
Context matters. Read the sentence that followed that one. I was clearly referring to the display.
And the article stated that the 360 is the first circular watch, which you tried to refute by talking about the shape of the display.
Real watches have bezels. Having a small bezel on a smartwatch isn’t a problem for me.
The 360 is a circular watch (it’s not a rectangle), but yes the display is not a full circle.
I might replace my gear live with this…
I sold my gear live to buy this watch. Was so let down with the gear live when I got it.
It’s a bit of a let down.. I’m also thinking about getting the moto 360
I’m still undecided to be honest. I really like the look of the Asus Zenwatch so I might hold on for that. It just looks better quality. I’m worried the LG G Watch R might be too big on my wrist.
I like the fact that the 360 has very minimal bezel. The zen watch is nice too!
So far, this looks like the best smartwatch. Still dislike the one-day battery life for all these watches though.
MANUFACTURERS. Get me a freaking metal band version to market already so I can line your pockets. The money is burning a hole in my pocket.
You can buy whatever metal band you want and swap it with the stock band.
I want an OEM band, out of the box. Just like Moto advertised, I want it to look.
I sold my gear live to purchase this watch!