Motorola today unveiled the next-generation Moto 360 smartwatch, and much to the disappointment of Android fans, the gadget's display is still missing a piece.
The missing piece from the Moto 360 is called a “shelf” by Motorola, while frustrated consumers call it a “flat tire.” The peculiarity has been present since the first-generation devices and, as you can see in the photos, continues to be present in the second, while Motorola claims that it would like to get rid of it eventually.
During a press conference yesterday, VB asked Motorola's top designer, Jim Wicks, to explain the flaw.
VB: How do you respond to the shelf criticism? Since the leaks, people have been reacting negatively to what you call the shelf at the bottom of the watch.
Jim Wicks: We could have moved the shelf. We would have had to have a round screen with a thicker bezel or a bigger clock, and we didn't want to do that. We could have done that from the beginning but we chose not to.
The 46mm diameter instead of 42mm is really important. What makes it stand out is that it hides some really important sensors – the proximity sensor and others.
It's also the display drivers, and that way we can keep a very simple and thin bezel.
… You see some designs that are rectangular, or have some metal sticking out, that are really trying to cover things up. We don't do that, for the reasons I said. We wanted to have the best fit. … So looking at the other designs we decided that the shelf was the best design decision.
