Slashdot Mirror
Motorola Quickly Shows Next Moto 360 Smartwatch, 'Flat Tire' Display Lives On
MojoKid writes: Will they or won't they continue on with the 'flat tire' display? That's been the big question surrounding Motorola's next generation Moto 360 smartwatch. Today, we finally learn the answer to the question, and unfortunately, it looks as though Motorola still hasn't seen clear to incorporate a completely circular display like LG, Huawei and now Samsung into a smartwatch. In an incredibly short video posted to Motorola's official Twitter account (the tweet has since been taken down), we see a fleeting glimpse of the next generation Moto 360. There is still a cutout at the bottom of the display, which houses an ambient light sensor in the current generation Moto 360. Keen eyes will also spot that the side button has been moved from the 3 o'clock position to the 2 o'clock position and that the integrated lug system for the watch bands has been abandoned in favor of an external lug system typical of most modern wristwatches.
unfortunately, it looks as though Motorola still hasn't seen clear to incorporate a completely circular display
Why is this a bad thing?
Because the competition doesn't do it?
Because you lose a tiiiny fraction of the display that was probably just going to be wasted empty space, or a border, or (god forbid) some horrible skeuomorph graphic?
Because your OCD demands that only simply geometric shapes be used to adorn your person?
I don't understand. The space still serves some purpose (top facing light sensor - arguably the best place for it) so why poo-poo it?
Not that I care overmuch. Smartwatches are mostly still just status symbols masquerading as over-engineered solutions looking for a problem. Wake me when someone remembers that little phrase about perfection not being when there is nothing left to add, but when there's nothing left to take away - and builds it into a smartwatch.