LG announces its first circular smartwatch, the LG G Watch R

It seems to be smartwatch announcement day today! As well as Samsung announcing a 3G-powered smartwatch, LG is also set to launch a second Android-powered smart watch at the IFA 2014 tech conference in Berlin next week, and it looks surprisingly like the analogue watches we know and love.

Known as the LG G Watch R, the smart watch features a 1.3-inch circular Plastic OLED (P-OLED) display, which LG claims can be easily viewed even in the sun. It will also have a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, as well as 4GB of storage, 512MB of RAM and a 410mAh battery. It can also, apparently, be dunked in water for up to 30 minutes.

Lookswise, it’s great that the LG G Watch R looks like a circular analogue watch, seeing as most of the smartwatches already on the market are rectangular, meaning they look like a bulky computer shoved on your wrist. The leather strap, made of calf skin, is interchangeable, which is also a nice touch for personalisation. However, it does look quite manly, especially when you compare it to the other circular smartwatches on the market, including the beautiful Withings Activite and the Moto 360, which is also set to be launched at IFA next week.

Like other wearables that run on Google’s Android Wear platform, the G Watch R is compatible with apps available in the Google Play Store and can receive notifications for incoming and missed calls, texts and everything you’d expect from a smartwatch. Like all other smartwatches, apart from Samsung’s just-announced Gear S, it only works via Bluetooth, which means you still need your phone by your side to get the notifications sent to your watch.

The LG G Watch R is due to go on sale by the end of the year, but pricing has not yet been announced. Watch this space for more details next week.