Five attractive and affordable alternatives to Apple Watch; featuring Moto 360, Huawei Watch and more

Ahead of the release of Apple’s hotly anticipated wearable on April 24, there is more competition than ever in the smartwatch sector. This week, Tag Heuer announced a partnership with Google and Intel to develop a smartwatch that should hit stores before year’s end, while several newcomers were introduced earlier this month at Mobile World Congress. Not to mention earlier models that have already earned their stripes. The selection is vast. Here are some of the smartwatches that stand out from the crowd. 1. Moto 360 [caption id=“attachment_258361” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”]  The Moto 360 is seen in this file photo. AP[/caption] Announced last summer, Motorola’s smartwatch grabbed headlines as one of the first on the market with a more traditional watch design. Prices start at $250. Advantages: stylish and subtle design, support for voice commands, high potential for customization through the Moto Maker website. 2. Asus ZenWatch [caption id=“attachment_232265” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”]  Asus ZenWatch is seen in this photo.[/caption] Unveiled at IFA 2014, the Taiwanese manufacturer’s first wearable is also among the pioneers in the market. This smartwatch is available for as little as $199. Advantages: similar design to the Apple Watch, heart rate and calorie expenditure monitoring, attractive price. 3. LG Watch Urbane  Revealed at Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress, the South Korean brand’s new smartwatch is due to launch later this spring in the US at an unknown price. Advantages: waterproof and dustproof metal design, also available as a standalone 4G device. 4. Pebble Time   [caption id=“attachment_260096” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”]  Image: www.getpebble.com[/caption] The Kickstarter campaign for this new wearable is setting records on the platform, with over $18 million in funding so far. The product is expected to ship this summer at a starting price of $199. Advantages: 7-day battery life, compatibility with iPhones and Android smartphones alike, low price. 5. Huawei Watch [caption id=“attachment_257063” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”]  Huawei Watch runs Android Wear.[/caption] Introduced at Mobile World Congress, the first smartwatch from Chinese manufacturer Huawei is due out before the end of this year at an unknown price. Advantages: stylish and customizable design (from the strap to the dial), multiple built-in activity tracking sensors. AFP