on Tuesday unveiled a gorgeous Moto 360 smartwatch that will be powered by Google’s newly announced Android Wear operating system. But the device may be too good-looking for its own good when it comes to production and sales, a new report suggests.
In addition to Android Wear features, Motorola wants to convince buyers to choose the Moto 360 instead of competing devices with a superior design when it comes to overall build quality. “Most importantly, Moto 360’s iconic design, featuring a round face and premium materials, feels comfortable and familiar on your wrist. It’s everything you need, with a look that you want,” the company wrote on its blog.
But G for Games has learned from a trusted Weibo source that Motorola may be facing some production issues with the Moto 360 that could significantly reduce sales. Because of these issues, the Moto 360 may be available in limited quantities or launch only in select regions.
The main problem with the device appears to be one of its strongest design elements, the round watchface, which can create “numerous challenges in the manufacturing process, from creating and placing the internal parts to round cutting the display itself.”
Motorola did not mention specific Moto 360 availability details in its announcement, revealing only that the Moto 360 will launch initially in the U.S. starting with summer 2014. In its video Motorola already acknowledged that this smartwatch design was met by its engineers with a dual reaction of “excitement” and “dread fear” of “how on earth we’re gonna be able to realize that,” revealing that all the core components for the device will require special designs to fit the circular form factor.
