Original post: We’ve been anticipating a next-gen Moto 360 for some time now, though earlier this month we got one of the best looks at the device to date, courtesy of a video Motorola put up on Twitter, only to take down shortly thereafter. Need even more evidence that the new 360 is on its way? Apparently the watch has been sighted a few times in the wild.

The images above and below were taken in Chicago, the home of Motorola, and show off a design that fits perfectly with all the previous leaks and hints we’ve been given. That means you can expect a new design with lugs that should make it easier to put on custom bands. It also, unfortunately, looks like the dreaded black bar is back.

As an owner of the original Moto 360, I can tell you the black bar isn’t as bad as some claim, and you do get used to it over time. That said, it seems odd that Motorola wouldn’t have come up with a better (less controversial) way of storing its ambient sensors and other components a year after the original. Then again, it’s not the only company taking this approach.

With the watch surfacing in the wild, an official announcement is likely not too far away. As for what kind of hardware we are looking at here? Aside from ditching the ancient Texas Instrument chip (or at least we hope they did…), not much else is known. It’s likely that Motorola could go with a Snapdragon here, but with Intel and other chip makers getting into the Android Wear game — anything is possible.

What do you think, excited for the next-gen Moto 360? Does the black bar’s return at all influence your potential purchasing decision?