The Moto 360. Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Motorola
Until now, the hype surrounding smartwatch releases has seemed too big in comparison to the actual successes of the devices in sales. Samsung, LG, and Qualcomm are some of the bigger names that have launched smartwatches over the last year, following the wearable light, but experiencing somewhat of a fizzling-out of excitement for the devices. As Google continues to push Glass and Apple’s iWatch rumors abound, perhaps it’s not so much that users aren’t excited for wearable technology, it’s that a device has yet to launch that solidifies the purported futuristic, glamorous usage of such tech. Motorola may have just changed all that.
The Moto 360 is Motorola’s answer to the smartwatche, and has already experienced a boom in sales. The company’s supply sold out on multiple online stores within hours of launching online sales. Having released some of its specifications and design earlier this year, its appears as though the hype around the gadget has actually lived up to initially demonstrate in profit. CNET describes some of the appeal of the Moto 360, and analysts have praised its hardware, software, design, function, charging mechanism, and other features.
Source: Generator Research
While other smartwatches now pale in comparison to this sophisticated device, timing is likely to be a player in its initial success as well. That and the fact that Motorola has made a bit of a comeback regarding its handsets.
The success of the Moto 360 is crucial for Motorola as it regains its confidence in the handset arena. The company experienced a dicey couple of years as Google bought it, sold some of its divisions, retained its patent portfolio, but now Motorola is back on the rise with more than one successful gadget. The company is taking advantage of what Google is edging into as well: the Indian smartphone market.
Motorola Mobility just revealed the second generation of its Moto G and Moto X smartphones in India in a partnership with e-commerce company Flipkart, based in Bangalore, Karnataka. The company has sold 1.6 million units of Moto E, G and X since February, according to the Economic Times, and is targeting the newer versions of the phones at the same market that is looking for lower-cost devices. The news outlet quotes Motorola Mobility India General Manager Amit Boni: “Partnering with Flipkart, we had launched Moto G a few months ago, followed by Moto X and Moto E, all of which have received tremendous response in India. Now, we are bringing in a new generation with better features and at an attractive price.”
Now, with the added success of Moto 360 thus far — an entirely different kind of gadget in the U.S. with an entirely different pricing scheme — things are looking up for Motorola. It’s a sunny time for a company that was once forecasted to go the way of BlackBerry as it struggled in mobile. But if it can keep solid footing in both U.S. and Indian markets, it will give other companies a run for their money.
