Motorola is back making smartwatches again! Just a few months after we politely asked, the company has launched the Moto Watch Fit, marking its return to a sector where it has been largely absent for many years, aside from a handful of US-only devices.
However, if you were holding out hope for a genre-defining device like the Razr, you’ll be bitterly disappointed. The Watch Fit is a cheap smartwatch that’s devoid of any real personality, meaning it’ll quickly get lost in the sea of other wearables.
As you can see from the photos, it bears more than a passing resemblance to the Apple Watch, albeit opting for a much cheaper plastic back that feels flimsy. I’d be happy for Motorola to add to the Watch Fit’s 25g (without strap) weight in exchange for something that’s more robust.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
I really wish Motorola had opted for a circular design like the Pixel Watch 3 rather than square – it matches what we’ve seen on most of the company’s previous smartwatches such as the Moto 360 2 from (checks calendar) 10 years ago, and in my opinion, just looks better on your wrist.
Check out my other hands-on thoughts from the Motorola launch event:
It’s not all bad…
That’s not to say there’s nothing to like here, though. The Watch Fit offers an attractive 1.3-inch OLED screen coated in tough Gorilla Glass 3 for starters.
Alongside IP68 and 5ATM ratings for water and dust resistance, it should be able to withstand the elements with ease.
A variety of built-in sensors allows you to track the likes of heart rate, steps and calories across more than 100 workouts, while GPS (far from a given at this price) enables you to keep track of your routes.
I could easily see it accompanying me on my workouts, with all the stats available on the Moto Fit companion app.
And a key advantage compared to most flagship smartwatches is battery life. Motorola claims the Watch Fit will last for up to an incredible 16 days on a single charge.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
I haven’t had a chance to properly test this for myself yet, of course, but if it gets anywhere near that, I’ll be very impressed and it will be a key reason to buy it over key rivals from the likes of Huawei and Xiaomi.
The strong battery life is a direct result of Motorola shunning Google’s Wear OS platform in favour of its own stripped-back software. It’s surprisingly intuitive and easy to navigate, though I think I would miss the option to download third-party apps eventually.
I also particularly enjoyed the pre-applied fabric strap, which offered just the right balance between comfort and security.
About that price…
At the time of its launch on 24 April, Motorola’s pricing for the Moto Watch Fit seemed fair – just €79. And at £89.99 in the UK, it was only slightly more expensive.
Then came the bombshell of US pricing. As Android Authority reports, the watch will cost a staggering $200 in the States. For context, that equates to around £150/€175, so the markup in the US is huge.
At that price, it’s hard to recommend anyone buys it. But if you’re based in the UK or EU, buying one feels much more realistic.
If it performs well, the Moto Watch Fit could still represent excellent value for money. However, I still wish Motorola had been a little more ambitious with its first foray back into the UK and many other markets.
Motorola hosted my trip to New York. I accepted, as there were no alternative ways to get hands-on time with the Razr 60 Ultra at launch. There were no preconditions on what I write or how I evaluate the device.
