In early 2018, rumors surfaced that LG would be releasing a watch called the “LG Watch Timepiece” that would combine a smartwatch with analog watch hands. While the name was a bit off, the concept was accurate; alongside the new LG V40 ThinQ, LG has unveiled a hybrid smartwatch called the LG Watch W7 — for a steep price of $450.
The W7 looks like a classic analog watch at first glance, but it comes complete with a touchscreen display. While it’s (unfortunately) powered by Qualcomm’s two-year old Snapdragon 2100 chipset, the device does come equipped with the new version of Wear OS right out of the box. It might be a good option for those who want smartwatch functions without having to sacrifice the look of a traditional timepiece — but it comes with a fairly high price tag for its limited features.
Here’s everything you need to know about LG Watch W7.
Design
LG teamed up with Soprod SA, a Swiss watch company that specializes in the production of smart modules, for the design of the W7. Unlike other Wear OS smartwatches on the market that mimic the look of an analog watch with a specific watch face, the LG Watch W7 includes mechanical hands. Aside from telling time, the mechanical hands will display other information as well — altimeter, barometer, timer, stopwatch, and compass directions.
While it’s technically classified as a hybrid smartwatch, like the slim Skagen Holst and quirky Marc Jacobs Riley, you’re still able to interact with the touchscreen display. The 44.5mm stainless steel case features a 1.2-inch LCD display, and 22mm watch straps that are interchangeable. For additional customization, users can also choose from a variety of different watch faces and complications using Google’s Wear OS.
As for color variants, LG only offers the Watch W7 in “Cloud Silver.” It also has an IP68 water resistance rating, so you can take it underwater up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.
On the right of the smartwatch, you’ll find three pushers. The middle pusher is the crown, which is used for navigating the watch such as scrolling through menus and notifications. On the top and bottom are two smaller buttons which can be customized to trigger different shortcuts like Google Fit or Google Pay.
Specs
Under the hood, the device features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 2100 platform. Considering Qualcomm just unveiled its new Wear 3100 chipset last month, it might be worth it to wait for a smartwatch that runs the latest technology packed with more capabilities. There’s also 4GB of internal storage and 768MB of RAM.
The Watch W7 is said to have an extremely long lasting battery — which remains to be seen. According to LG, the 240mAh battery can last for up to two days on a single charge, but that might be if you set your display to only turn on when triggered. When on watch-only mode, the W7 is said to last for up to 100 days. This mode essentially turns off Wear OS.
Software
The processor may not be up to date but the software included on LG’s new smartwatch is. On the Watch W7, you’ll find the latest version of Wear OS. The redesigned operating system comes along with tons of improvements from its previous user interface. It’s not only much more streamlined, but you no longer need to memorize tons of gestures to use it.
Instead, simple swipes bring you to your notifications, shortcuts, health metrics, and more. We’ve been using the new Wear OS platform on the Fossil Q Venture HR for a few weeks now, and it certainly is a much improved way of navigating the operating system. Sadly, you won’t be able to track heart rate on the Watch W7 since it’s lacking a heart rate sensor.
Pricing and availability
The LG Watch W7 will be available for purchase at Best Buy on October 14 for $450. Pre-orders for the smartwatch start on October 7.
Updated October 3: Added information to reflect the launch of the LG Watch W7.
