Finally, Motorola is taking smartwatches seriously again
No, this isn’t a competitor to the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 despite the name. Rather, it’s a potential return to form for Motorola, going head-to-head with the Galaxy Watch 9 and the Pixel Watch 5 in offering consumers a much-needed alternative in the Wear OS space, particularly now that OnePlus is no longer competing.
The fact that the Moto Watch Ultra is using Google’s platform is a big deal, particularly after the Moto Watch went down the same route as the original (and dreadful) OnePlus Watch, in having its own proprietary software. One aspect that the brand has carried over, however, is a partnership with Polar for all things fitness tracking.
Motorola
Polar has already established itself as a solid competitor to the likes of Garmin and Coros, particularly in how it offers easy-to-follow guidance on when you should be exercising and when you should be prioritising rest. To have that software available on a Wear OS watch could give Motorola a leg up on the competition.
There’s also a dedicated Running Coach mode built-in to help users who are just starting out on their fitness journey or who might be hoping to sign up for a 10K or even a marathon. This features alongside a mode called Serene, which Motorola describes as offering guided breathing to help promote mindfulness alongside exercise.
As previously leaked, there’s just one 46mm stainless steel size for the Motorola Watch Ultra, but given that it’s priced at £369, it’s technically a better value option for those who want to have a larger watch. By comparison, the 45mm Pixel Watch 5 costs £399 for the cheaper, Wi-Fi-only model.
What you get for your money
The Watch Ultra is the first Motorola smartwatch to offer LTE connectivity and also comes with Google Pay, dual-band GPS, IP68 and 5ATM ratings and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 covering the 1.5-inch OLED screen (no flat tyre in sight) with up to 2700 nits of brightness.