The original Motorola Moto 360 was the first smartwatch to feature a round display, and last year Motorola followed up with two new models, namely the 2015 Moto 360, and the Moto 360 Sport. The good news for owners of the Moto 360 (2015) or Moto 360 Sport is that both models are now ready to receive a new firmware update. The update brings a handful of improvements and additions, including continuous heart-rate tracking.
Motorola’s latest firmware update for the Moto 360 (2nd generation) and Moto 360 Sport bumps the build number up to “MWD49B”. The changelog mentions that the update introduces important security and stability improvements, including the May 1st security update. In addition, following the update, the Moto Body application will take the wearer’s heart rate into account when calculating the number of calories burned, and last but certainly not least, while the Moto Body app is open, heart rate measures will continuously update without having to tap to re-scan. As expected, Motorola mentions that the update is being rolled out in phases. This means that update notifications for Moto 360 and Moto 360 Sport owners will not arrive at the same time for all customers. Instead, the update will expand gradually over the next few days. Once the update notification arrives, users need only to swipe left to the System update screen, tap “Open” > “Yes”, and wait for the firmware to be installed. After the update is applied, the smartwatch will restart automatically.
For readers who may not be aware of Motorola’s previous software releases, the new firmware update arrives roughly four months after the February update for the Moto 360 (2nd generation) and Moto 360 Sport, which added support for additional languages, Doze mode for improved battery management, and app permissions to name a few. While the duo might no longer need an introduction, as a quick reminder, the Moto 360 (2nd generation) and Moto 360 Sport are equipped with a Qualcomm MSM8926 Snapdragon 400 SoC, 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB of internal memory, and a 300 mAh battery offering up to 24 hours of mixed usage. The Moto 360 Sport and Moto 360 (2015) are available with a 1.37-inch 360 x 325 display, but the non-sport variant is also offered with a larger 1.56-inch panel sporting a resolution of 360 x 330.