LG Watch W7 Hybrid Wearable Runs Google Wear OS And Features Mechanical Hands
The LG V40 ThinQ smartphone launched yesterday, and we have our review of the smartphone up right now. Just as a rumor over the weekend hinted, alongside that V40 ThinQ smartphone launch came the launch of LG's latest smartwatch - the LG Watch W7. When the rumor of the W7's launch surfaced over the weekend speculation was that the wearable would run Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform; sadly, that part of the rumor was false. The LG Watch W7 launches with the aging Snapdragon Wear 2100 platform under the hood, has 4GB eMMC storage and 768MB LPDDR3 RAM along with a 240 mAh internal battery.
LG's 240 mAh battery is smaller than the battery Samsung offers in either flavor of its Galaxy Watch. LG says the battery in the W7 is good for up to two days in full operation mode and another 3-4 days in analog only mode on a full charge.
The resolution of the 1.2-inch LCD screen LG uses is 360x360 with 300ppi, and the watch measures 44.5 x 45.4 x 12.9mm overall. Connectivity options include 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2 BLE, and a USB Type-C 2.0 port. A 9-axis/pressure sensor is inside the LG wearable. The analog portion of the watch has two hands, meaning no second hand, and uses a micro gearbox and quartz movement. LG offers the Watch W7 in silver only with a black band; it is compatible with all standard 22mm watch bands. LG's wearable should survive water and dusty environments thanks to the IP68 rating.
LG didn’t offer official pricing in its data about the W7, but a report indicates that the watch will land at Best Buy on October 14 for $450. That puts the Watch W7 a scant $50 off the price of the Apple Watch Series 4 with cellular connectivity and GPS integrated. LG offers no cellular connectivity in its W7 and no GPS capability; the base Apple Watch offers GPS for $399. The larger 44mm Galaxy Watch sells for $349. LG's offering seems like it may be a hard sell against the Apple Watch Series 4 and Galaxy Watch based on features and price.
