Fitness-focused Moto 360 Sport launching later this month with built-in GPS

Back when it introduced the new Moto 360 range, Motorola also showed off a brand new sports-focused version of its popular Android Wear smartwatch. Unlike the regular Moto 360 though, it wasn’t available right after launch. In a blog post today, the company has finally given us an official price and release date for the fitness wearable…

Customers in the UK and France will be able to place orders for the Moto 360 Sport from December 18th at Motorola’s online store. Sadly, US customers are being made to wait a little longer. If you’re in the States, you can place orders at Motorola.com and other online retailers from January 7th, 2016, or wait until January 10th when you’ll be able to walk in to a physical Best Buy store and pick one up for $299. The Moto 360 Sport will also be available in Brazil, Canada, China, Mexico and Spain in the new year.

Everything about the IP67-rated 360 Sport has been designed to withstand physical activity and thrive in outdoor conditions. It’s built primarily from a durable strong silicone which doesn’t absorb sweat, and resists fading and staining. It also has side vents built in to help your wrist stay cool. Motorola’s 1.37-inch LCD-based round AnyLight display is designed to be visible in whatever lighting conditions, whether you’re indoors or outdoors, and boasts a pixel density of 263ppi with a resolution of 360 x 325. Like all Moto 360 watches, the 45mm case is round and has a built in heart-rate monitor.

As well as being fitness-focused, it’s also been equipped with enough sensors that you can track virtually anything, and not need to take your phone with you. It has GPS to map your runs/rides with apps like Strava, and a barometric altimeter to measure elevation. There’s also the usual collection off accelerometers, gyroscopes, ambient light sensor and a vibration engine.

For those needing raw specs, the 360 Sport features the following:

• 1.37-inch, 263ppi (360 x 325) AnyLight display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 exterior
• 45mm diameter case, 11.5mm thick
• Weighs 54g
• 300mAh battery with wireless charging support
• Snapdragon 400 1.2GHz quad-core processor
• Adreno 305 graphics
• 4GB storage
• 512MB RAM
• Bluetooth 4.0
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
• Optical heart rate monitor
• IP67 water/dust resistant
• Dual digital mics
• Built-in GPS

While it may not be the most luxurious looking smartwatch, the Moto 360 Sport fills a gap left by the fashion-focussed devices and offers modern wearable connectivity and features, while fulfilling a need for fitness enthusiasts. I personally can’t wait to take one out on a run, something I’ve so far avoided with my leather-strapped 360.