Looking at LG's newest smartwatches, developed in collaboration with Google, you'll notice that both have round displays with no flat tires. This has typically meant the omission of one key feature in a smartwatch: an ambient light sensor. But LG has apparently cracked the code on this limitation, as both the Style and Sport have such sensors which allow them to adjust display brightness automatically. Not only is this a hugely convenient thing to have, the way LG managed to do it is pretty impressive.

The light sensor actually sits below the screen itself - as in, beneath it. How does it work? Well, LG and Google weren't sharing many details, but suffice it to say that this is an industry-first technology as far as we're aware (Update: it isn't), and one that hopefully means more and more smartwatches with proper auto-brightness support in the future.

The displays used on the Sport and Style are both part of a new generation of LG's P-OLED panels, which may have something to do with the introduction of the new ambient light sensor tech, at least if we were to speculate a bit.

It's a relatively small feature in the grand scheme, but it's one that should have multiple beneficial effects - improved battery life probably being among the most important.

UPDATE: 2017/02/08 9:27am PST BY

As has been pointed out to us, the Samsung Gear S2 and S3 also use a similar ambient light sensor technology. Still, these are among the first Wear devices with in-display sensors (the ZenWatch 3 has the same implementation as the Gears, apparently), so hopefully more are coming.