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Moto 360 designer: 'we wanted to hit that Whoa! mark'
In a live broadcast, designer Jim Wicks showed off a working version of the Moto 360 smartwatch and offered up a few pieces of information about his prized product and the philosophy behind its design. When asked about the inspiration for the 360's circular design, Wicks mentioned that the shape is an iconic one that people naturally associate with time, as evidenced by the fact that nearly 80 percent of all watches sold globally are circular. "We don't want to make consumers change for this tech," Wicks said. "We want to make this tech map to them. With a square concept you might say 'that's interesting,' but you don't hit that 'Whoa!' mark. We wanted to hit that Whoa! mark." Wicks understands that when it comes to smartwatches, fashion triumphs over functionality -- and with the Moto 360, he believes that it passes the crucial test of being fashionable enough that consumers will want to buy it.
Motorola design chief: stock Android phones, cross-carrier brands coming later this year
Back in February, Google CFO Patrick Pichette said its recent purchase, Motorola, didn't "wow" on the smartphone front, but it looks like the two companies have long since smoothed over any hard feelings. Speaking to PC Mag, Motorola design chief Jim Wicks revealed plans for the first post-acquisition handsets, demonstrating a philosophy that seems perfectly in line with Mountain View. According to Wicks, his company is embracing stock Android with as little bloatware as possible, and hardware itself won't likely reach Galaxy Note II proportions; he says the new design philosophy is "better is better" rather than "bigger is better." Motorola will also change its approach to carriers, with a move toward offering devices across several service providers rather than keeping certain handsets -- such as the Droid and RAZR lines on Verizon -- as exclusives for one. For AT&T and Sprint customers who were tempted by the RAZR M on Verizon, for example, this strategy could go a long way in bringing them into the Motorola fold. Wicks says the first batch of new smartphones will debut in the second half of 2013 -- and, at least according to Eric Schmidt, they should be quite impressive.
