Yesterday we gave you the lowdown on Samsung’s new Gear 2 range, an update to their market-leading Galaxy Gear wearable line. At the time we noted that Samsung seemed to be taking a fitness-oriented approach to the devices, what with their in-built exercise trackers and body-monitoring gizmos.
Sure enough, Samsung has followed it up with a device almost entirely dedicated to health and fitness, the inventively-named Gear Fit.
The differences between the Gear Fit and the Gear 2 are immediately obvious. The Fit is sleeker and more compact, boasting the world’s first curved AMOLED wearable display. It’s more contoured to fit snugly on your wrist, and lighter too, greatly increasing its practicality for those planning on using it as intended.
There’s also the fact that the new oblong shape makes it look very similar to the Nike Fuel band, the Jawbone Up and other similar fitness wearables. But of course that’s probably just a coincidence…
Inside the device it features the same fitness-focused tech as its bigger brother. The heart-rate monitor is present, as is the pedometer, along with the enigmatic ‘Exercise’ app, which no one seems to quite know the details of yet.
What separates the Fit from other fitness wearables though is its connective functionality. It’s still a smartwatch at heart, and as such you can pair it with what Samsung promises to be ‘a range of Galaxy phones’ and use it as a wrist-based notification centre. You can receive texts, emails and call alerts, and control your music through it – though you cannot stream directly from it, unlike the Gear 2.
Whilst it may not be a huge revelation, it certainly does what it was expected to do. It’s an appealing device, thanks largely to its sleek aesthetics (something Samsung isn’t necessarily known for) which obviously plays a big part in a device that’s permanently visible. You can even change the Fit’s strap, with choices of a range of colours available to suit all tastes.
Samsung have done well to get in on the wearable market so early and so comprehensively. Their devices seem pretty polished and well-thought out, and the range of options means there should be something for everyone. Of course, they are only compatible with Samsung phones so they won’t have Nokia, Apple or Sony quaking in their boots quite yet.
There’s no word on the prices yet for any of the devices, although you would hope that the Fit is somewhere in the £100 – £150 range so as to better compete with its rivals. Expect to tap another £50 or so on to that for the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo. The whole range will be available before the end of Q2 this year.
