Rumor: LG Watch Style Will Start At $249

In the previous post we touched on the importance of 2017 being the year of the smartwatch. Smartwatches are companions and extensions of our mobile phone so it is integral that they function just as I said like an extension of our phones. LG is taking on this challenge with one of two rumored entries pictured above.

According to known phone and tech leaker Evan Blass, his latest tweet is our best first look at the rumored device.

LG Watch Style, in silver (top) and rose gold (bottom) pic.twitter.com/JlHaq35bZ0

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) January 28, 2017

This gives us a great look at what could be a leaked press render of the device before its rumored debut on February 9th.

According to Android Police's David Ruddock the device will start at $249.

"Speaking to us, a trusted source claims one of LG's upcoming Google-partnered Android Wear devices, the Watch Style, will start at $249. The entry-level Style, leaked in greater visual detail yesterday, will be launched alongside the LG Watch Sport, a much more fully-featured smartwatch. We don't have pricing for that model at this time." 

Ruddock goes on to explain it's still unclear as whether or not there will be options that will increase the price of the LG Style based on band or color. With the leaking of the LG Style's price could we soon see its big brother, the LG Watch Sport's price leak soon? With rumored specs to include a standalone LTE modem for cellular data, NFC for mobile payments, a heart-rate monitor, GPS, and a bigger, higher-res display. 

The LG Style and LG Watch Sport will be a great addition to the already many upcoming smartwatches in 2017 if these rumors hold true.

The Year of the Smartwatch?

It has been a down year for the entire smartwatch industry. 2016 was not kind to any manufacture in the way of sells for their smartwatches. Many tech insiders believed the concept of the smartwatch was dying. LG, Huawei, Samsung, and HTC seem poised to re-energize the smartwatch market. The picture above depicts two upcoming smartwatches from LG. These smartwatches, if rumors are true, could be revealed on February 9th.

These watches have been designed in partnership with Google to debut their new Android Wear 2.0 release. In a January 17 post from VentureBeat they explain the specs both watches will come with.

"They will be called the LG Watch Sport and Watch Style, meaning the names contain no Google branding. The Sport will have a 1.38" display, while the Style will be 1.2" across. The Sport gets more RAM (768MB, versus 512 on the Style), LTE, a heart rate sensor, and GPS. The Style lacks any of these additional features. The Sport is rated IP68, while the Style is IP67. Style comes in three colors (titanium, silver, rose gold), while the larger Sport comes in two (titanium, dark blue).

VentureBeat also went on to explain that the larger of the two watches, the LG Watch Sport will also include LTE phone service capabilities to make the watch work as a standalone piece independent of a phone. The LG Watch Sport is also rumored to have an NFC chip for mobile payments. Although VentureBeat writer and well known tech leaker Evan Blass has said the smaller of the two watches, the LG Watch Style will not come with an NFC chip. This is a little bit of a departure from the push Google is making on its smartwatch platform, as it is trying to move mobile payments within its smartwatch eco system.

2017 will be a crucial year for the smartwatch industry as a whole. LG is poised to be the first company to jump into the 2017 smartwatch market and later in Fall Apple is poised to offer a redesign of its smartwatch the AppleWatch. Only time will tell if the smartwatch makes a comeback in 2017.

Welcome Into The Mind of a Software Developer

I began my software development journey in 2007. I was working with software from Apple and their new iOS phone operating system. Midway through 2007 I switched working on iOS to a new startup mobile operating system company named Android Inc. Shortly after they were acquired by Google and I have been working with the Android operating system ever since.

I have stepped back from the hectic software development life to focus on other, more important items. With all that said I am very excited about the direction of mobile phone technology and what it holds for consumers in the near future. I keep up with phone releases, future phones, and phone technology in general. This blog could include anything mobile phone related. It's time to unlock your phones and leap into the fascinating world of mobile phone tech.