CES 2026: Motorola returns to the smartwatch market with the new Moto Watch

At CES 2026, Motorola unveiled its new Moto Watch smartwatch, marking another attempt to gain a foothold in the wearable segment after last year’s Moto Watch Fit. This time, the focus is on health and fitness — thanks in large part to a partnership with sports-science company Polar.

Motorola’s new Moto Watch is the latest in a series of new smartwatches to be unveiled at CES 2026.

In contrast to the rectangular Watch Fit, the new Moto Watch gets a classic round design. The watch features a 1.43-inch OLED display and is encased in a 47mm aluminum case. There is a steel crown on the side, and users can choose between a silicone, leather or stainless steel strap. The device is IP68 protected against dust and water, and has a 1 ATM rating for use in shallow water. The screen is covered by Gorilla Glass 3.

It’s in the fitness realm where Polar’s contributions are most notable. The Moto Watch tracks steps, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, stress and sleep. The feature set includes Polar’s proprietary algorithms like Smart Calories, Nightly Recharge and Activity Score, which emphasize recovery and exercise intensity, not just «raw» metrics. There are also reminders to drink water, take medication and customizable activity goals.

In terms of smart features, the watch supports dual-frequency GPS and lets you take phone calls thanks to its built-in microphone and speaker. Notifications and summaries can be handled with moto ai, including «Catch me up» on supported smartphones. That said, the Moto Watch runs on Motorola’s own proprietary OS, not Wear OS, and requires a smartphone running Android 12 or newer.

Autonomy is claimed to be up to 13 days, or about 7 days with always-on display mode enabled. Fast charging is also present, with Motorola saying that five minutes of charging is enough for a full day’s use.

The battery life is claimed to be up to 13 days, or about seven days with always-on display enabled.

Pricing for the Moto Watch starts at €99.99 for the version with a silicone strap and goes up to €149.99 for the stainless steel variant. Sales in the U.S. will start on January 22, 2026, with an international launch slated for February.

The Moto Watch will launch in the U.S. on January 22, 2026, with an international launch in February.

Moto Watch is the company’s first device to be labeled «Powered by Polar». Whether the partnership will help it stand out in a saturated smartwatch market — is still an open question, but the specs make it look like an affordable and more fitness-oriented alternative to mass-market models.