LG has taken the wraps off the LG Watch Urbane LTE, a 4G-enabled variant of its most stylish smartwatch.
The company only announced the regular LG Watch Urbane 10 days ago, as a high-fashion Android Wear alternative to the rugged LG G Watch R.
Yet here LG is again with LG Watch Urbane LTE, which is the world’s first 4G smartwatch.
As that suggests, the LG Watch Urbane LTE doesn’t require a smartphone partner for its core functions. It can make and receive calls, as well as send and receive text messages.
There’s also a push-to-talk facility for other devices on the same network – so think walkie-talkies, only with unlimited range and multiple parties.
If 4G connectivity wasn’t impressive/overkill enough (delete according to opinion), the LG Watch Urbane LTE also packs NFC for simple pairing and mobile payments.
Undoubtedly the most notable thing about the LG Watch Urbane LTE, after its obvious 4G connectivity of course, is the fact that it doesn’t run on Android Wear like its non-LTE brother. Rather, the Urbane LTE runs on the LG Wearable Platform, a bespoke wearable OS developed by LG itself.
Another notable feature is the Urbane LTE’s larger-than-average battery. At 700mAh, it’s around 70 percent bigger than earlier efforts.
Of course, with a 4G antenna coming as part of the package and the extra functions that come with the watch, it’ll need that extra juice, so we’re not anticipating 70 percent more battery life.
Another hardware difference is the LG Watch Urbane LTE’s three buttons compared to the original’s one. The top button is for Quick Settings, the middle for an app tray of sorts, and the bottom one is a back button and a safety beacon, depending on how long it’s pressed.
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Otherwise, you get the same 1.3-inch P-OLED display, the same Snapdragon 410 CPU, 1GB of RAM, a heart rate monitor, and IP67 water and dust resistance.
The LG Watch Urbane LTE will be on display at MWC 2015 starting Monday.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
