Motorola Wrist Watch
Ena Marklund
Ever stared at your boring slab phone and thought, "Why can't I just slap this thing on my wrist?" No? That makes two of us. But that may be exactly how we interact with our smartphones in the future. Or, at least, in the future Motorola is envisioning.
Today at Lenovo Tech World '23, Motorola unveiled on stage its new Adaptive Display concept, a shape-shifting Android phone that can be bent to varying degrees. For example, the 6.9-inch slab can be bent into a C-shape and be worn and operated like a smartwatch.
Motorola suggests pairing this wrist-worn mode with one of its new AI features that creates a phone wallpaper to match your outfit. We've seen something similar with Samsung phones and Galaxy smartwatches.
The Adaptive Display concept can also be bent so that the top half curves upward for a more ergonomic viewing experience. This self-standing position presents you with a 4.6-inch display, ideal for video calls, scrolling through social feeds, and other vertical-aligned tasks. The use cases are flexible.
Given that this is a concept phone, pricing, and availability are out of the question. For now, I'm curious about how durable the phone is, how viable it is to wear something as heavy as a phone on your wrist, and how uncomfortable it will get after a long day at work. Also, is it even possible to make a case for this thing?
There are plenty of other Qs, of course, but such uncertainties lead me to believe that Motorola's smartwatch-replacing phone likely won't see the light of day. Nonetheless, it's a valiant attempt at bringing something fresh to a smartphone market that's slowly but surely transitioning more toward foldable form factors.
Note that while running you can always tap a given portion of the display screen to see that particular metric in full screen. For example, see below the four-item quadrant, and then I tap one of the items to display that in full screen.
In addition to running outside, you can also run inside just as easily. The watch supports both an inside and outside mode. Inside the watch can use either an ANT+ footpod, or it can use the units internal accelerometer to estimate distance.
Auto-Lap: Auto lap enables you to configure the unit to automatically create a lap (split) after a preset period of time or distance. You can define how long that is, via the settings screen:
Auto Display: This mode will automatically scroll through the different display fields as you workout. This includes any of the custom display fields as well as the map, HR/Pace zones and lap fields:
The Motoactv includes a significant amount of data field customization. Each sport includes the ability to configure different data fields. Within each sport you can have one fully configured data page with up to four data fields, such as below:
Maps are provided by default for all of North America, Central America, portions of South America, and all of Europe. The unit by default has 1.6GB of maps loaded on it, but you can also download additional free maps directly on the Motoactv.com site.
This will show the last 90 minutes of my run. Due to a minor mess-up on my part I ended up accidentally splitting my workout in two by stopping the recording when I was swinging by a bathroom. So the first 30 minutes were on a separate file (also uploaded).
This sensor allows you to use the Motoactv indoors on a trainer, as well as record cadence information outdoors. Additionally, you can sometimes increase your speed accuracy a hair if you use the speed sensor outdoors (automatically occurs actually).
If you need a speed-only or cadence-only sensor, the Motoactv supports those as well. Some folks use these if they have a unique bike configuration (like a recumbent) which requires the sensors be placed in different locations. In general though, the GSC-10 works for just about everyone.
The Motoactv supports ANT+ enabled power meters, such as those made by CycleOps (the PowerTap), SRAM/Quarq (the Cinqo), SRM, Power2Max and more. I own a Quarq Cinqo and the unit is easily paired to the power meter by going into the sensor settings and selecting to add a ANT+ power meter.
The foot pod easily snaps right onto your shoelaces in a matter of a few seconds. As of today, the Motoactv does not yet have a calibration option, which means the accuracy can be off depending on many factors including stride. You may want to consider the internal accellerometer instead, unless you need cadence as well.
This is a bit strange but i am fairly certain that my motoactv has a power maximum of under 1000 watts. If i put in a good sprint which i can complete at greater than 1000 watts the power reading goes blank. The CP graph is suspiciously flat at just under 1000 watts for the first 15 seconds or so when using the motoactv. When connected to a garmin 510 my sprint will result in greater than 1000 watts by enough margin to see that the problem is the motoactv. It just will not do > 1000 watts..
I went out for a run about a month ago with the unit clipped to my waist band. I finished the run with 50 meters of all-out sprinting, and of course the MOTOACTV fell off and the screen shattered when it hit the sidewalk.
There are a few things that are now incorrect on the review because of update. The app in now compatible with all Android devices. It does call and message notifications from phone. The battery life is much better now with the extended and marathon workout modes. These modes change the update time from 1sec to 2 and 3 seconds. This makes it so I can go for a 3-4 hour run with the screen on and still have 45% battery left.
About 4 months ago, I dropped my Timex global trainer and broke the on/off button, so that left me with no GPS running watch. I bought a Magellan/Mio Cyclo 505 for my bike and also ended up running with it in my hand until my Omate arrived (see below).
I have used the Motoactv for the last 2 years. This watch just has been absolutely wonderful!! I have no issues with battery whatsoever. I am just researching a new watch and Garmin 220 seems like a winner but that also does not seem to have the features this 3 years old watch has. I am NOT interested in music capability. My question is what am I gaining in buying one of the recommended watches from Summer 2014 collection (link to dcrainmaker.com)? Or shall I just purchase another Motoactv from Amazon or somewhere? Running capability is the main feature I am looking for. This is the only GPS watch I have ever owned so looking for the experts here for some guidance.
Good news, I was just able to download all my workouts via the motoactv portal, in case you want to give it a try.
I thought I was going to loose them forever in the motoactv black hole. I kept trying and never worked. But today I selected Export All Workouts, TCX and it worked like a charm. Good luck.
I have the motorola now over a year and i must say with the ltest update from ofcourse 2 years ago everything works super and the website is up and running but i use also tcx exporter. When i look at al the other watches this is the most super and the battery is about 8 hours now with running
Yes your right about waterproof and batterylife but look also at the price,i bought mine for 139 euro new and the fenix3 is+_ 450 ore more,i use the moto also as a normal watch ,ok its a bit bigger but looks also nice,ok no swimming ,i heard moto is sold to a korean compagny mayby something new wil come.
Wanna save some cash and support the site? These companies help support the site! With Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with either the coupon code DCRAINMAKER for first time users saving 15% on applicable products.
You'll be wearing a magnetic strap on your wrist already that essentially looks like an Apple Watch's Milanese Loop strap, but without the actual watch part. The phone magnetically attaches to this to help keep it in place, as the phone doesn't form a full circle. The phone then should stay in place while you go about your day, acting more like a smartwatch by showing you incoming notifications. Then, when you want it to be a phone again you simply pull it from your wrist, fold it flat again and away you go. Lovely.
I was really excited to try it on, and I do find the idea of wearing your phone like this quite appealing. But this is firmly a proof of concept from Motorola, and it's a long way off becoming a real product, if it ever even does. A lot would have to change before I considered spending what would no doubt be a lot of money on this device.
First, I'd want rid of the magnetic wrist strap, instead finding a way for the phone to bend further around my wrist so as to be wearable in its own right. I'd want it to be slimmer so as to be less intrusive while wearing it, and I'd want to see a lot of software optimizations to really make the most of this unusual form factor. So yes, I'm quite demanding, but it'd need to offer a genuine reason to make it useful over simply having a smartwatch.
But I don't have high expectations that we'll see this kind of product on sale any time soon. Last year, Motorola showed off a different concept phone that featured a screen that almost magically extended upward, out of the phone body, to give a larger viewing space. Again, it was cool as hell to see, but again, not something Motorola has made any commitment to putting on sale.
If you turned on wrist gestures from Settings, you can scroll through cards on your watch with just a flick of your wrist.
To scroll down in the cards, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Or flick your wrist away from you, then slowly back toward you.
Android, Google, Google Play, Nexus and other marks are trademarks of Google Inc. The Android robot is reproduced or modified from work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.
Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and for compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure.
c80f0f1006