Another week, another new product from Samsung. We could sit here all day and discuss the Korean manufacturer’s prolific product cycle, but we don’t want to do that.
Instead, let us tell you why the Gear S smartwatch is relevant and what sets it apart from its rivals.
The latest addition to its Gear range of wearables, is another Tizen-powered smartwatch that comes packing a 3G modem on the inside and a curved, rectangular watch-face.
Its 3G connectivity makes it a true standalone device. Unlike many other wearables that require a bluetooth connection with a smartphone to send and receive messages, the Gear S can do both those things and make calls by itself.
That is an impressive feature and one would think hints at the future for the sector, which will no doubt want to free itself from the shackles of smartphone tethering.
Inside the device you’ll find the usual array of specs, which include a 2-inch AMOLED screen with 360×480 resolution, plus a dual-core 1GHz CPU inside along with GPS, a heart rate monitor and motion sensors. Additionally, you get 4GB of internal storage and 512MB of RAM. The Gear S is also water-resistant.
Samsung claims that the device’s 300 mAh battery can run for two days on a full charge. Navigation comes in the form of Nokia’s Here maps service and there is also support for Facebook.
In terms of design, the smartwatch looks like a bulkier version of the Gear Fit fitness tracker. That shouldn’t be too much of an issue, as the curved screen helps it to wrap around the contours of the wrist rather than sticking out as a flat surface.
Although it will boil down to preference, we still believe that the round displays of the Moto 360 and the newly announced LG G Watch R (both of which are Android Wear devices) look better.
Speaking of Android Wear, Samsung has ditched Google’s OS in favour of its own platform Tizen – showing that its still committed to the flagging OS, despite recent criticism from the likes of Huawei.
The Gear S will be available in October. Samsung has yet to confirm a retail price.
In the run up to IFA, which officially kicks off on 4 September, we heard rumours that Samsung would unveil a new smartwatch to add to its Gear range. Most of the hype surrounded a Samsung patent for a round smartwatch that had been leaked. That hasn’t yet turned out to be true. Judging by how prolific the manufacturer is, we wouldn’t be surprised if it had more wearables in store.
In addition to the Gear S, Samsung has also announced a new Gear Circle headset. The device is basically a pair of bluetooth headphones that can be joined together magnetically to form a necklace that vibrates when you receive a phone call. The Gear circle will also be rolling out in October.
