Verizon to Sell LG Watch Urbane for $349

It’s official: LG is gunning right for the Apple Watch. Based on facts gleaned from a newly leaked promotional material from Verizon, posted on AndroidSpin on Friday, the LG Watch Urbane—the newest addition to Google’s Android Wear lineup—will cost about as much as an Apple Watch when it goes on sale at the end of the month.

Take a look at the fact sheet for the full scoop:

According to the post, Verizon will begin selling the device starting on April 28. We also heard previously that it’ll show up on the Google Store this month—probably on the same day, if I had to guess. Other than that, there isn’t much revealed by the factsheet that we haven’t already heard. It will have Wi-Fi connectivity once Android Wear 5.1 makes its way to the device—a feature that will appear on most pre-existing Android Wear devices, with only a few exceptions thanks to a pre-installed Wi-Fi chip.

The $349 price tag is significant for a few reasons, though. For starters, as I already mentioned, it’s the same price as the Apple Watch. Additionally, that’ll make it easily the most expensive Android Wear device to hit the market yet. It doesn’t hurt, however, that it’s also easily the best looking, definitely outpacing the Moto 360 in terms of looks. And—to me anyway—it sure looks a whole lot more like a watch than the Apple Watch. Sorry Jeff!

On the other hand, looking like a watch clearly isn’t the Apple Watch’s strength. No, that device is so beloved because it’s an Apple, and it’s a thing unto itself. The Watch Urbane, however, is, well, a watch.

It’s possible that the forthcoming Android Wear update will push Google’s wearable platform to new heights. I hope so. As it is, it’s tough not to feel some Apple Watch envy with my already-dated feeling Asus ZenWatch. I think a fresher, more interesting version of the operating system will go a long way toward alleviating Android Wear’s deficiencies. But I do kinda wish I had a Watch Urbane, now that I know it exists. And I don’t have $349 to throw at another smartwatch. Alas…

[Source: AndroidSpin]