'Nobody wants a smartwatch that looks like a calculator,' says Moto exec

Nobody wants a smartwatch that looks like a calculator,' says Moto exec
Moto 360 - definitely not looking like a calculator

Motorola believes that it will remains a step ahead of its rivals in the smartwatch world, despite the first round competitors for the Moto 360 beginning to surface.

Speaking to TechRadar at the UK launch event for the 360, corporate vice president for EMEA & APAC, Magnus Ahlqvist, expressed his joy at the smartwatch's early impact and told us about the decision to back a round design that has captured the imagination.

"I think the cool thing about Motorola as a company is that it is very focused on what the consumer wants," said Ahlqvist. "Lots of companies say that they are but we actually care.

Moto 360 - a head-turner

Moto 360 - a head-turner

"The early smartwatches looked like gadgets - like small calculators on your wrist - and that's not what people wanted.

"They wanted their smartwatch to look good to wear and to be proud of it, so that was the basis of what we did for the Moto 360.

"A lot of craftsmanship went into the design - to maximise the screen size and make the display so vibrant and there is a lot thought gone into the details."

Round, round baby

Ahlqvist at the UK Moto event

Ahlqvist at the UK Moto event

Given the attention the 360 garnered it is no surprise that a number of manufacturers are now jumping on a more traditional watch shape for their next generation of smartwatches.

The LG G Watch R was announced at IFA 2014 in Berlin, and many other options are in the pipeline, but Ahlqvist is not fazed.

"First of all we are well positioned," he said. "I personally don't think there is anything as beautiful and well-crafted as the Moto 360 in the market.

"And we are not sitting still so we are a step ahead. There is a lot of competition but I don't think that's a bad thing because it spurs innovation.

"There remains a lot of room for us to continue to innovate."

Patrick Goss

Patrick Goss is the ex-Editor in Chief of TechRadar. Patrick was a passionate and experienced journalist, and he has been lucky enough to work on some of the finest online properties on the planet, building audiences everywhere and establishing himself at the forefront of digital content.  After a long stint as the boss at TechRadar, Patrick has now moved on to a role with Apple, where he is the Managing Editor for the App Store in the UK.