Back in May, we got wind of an update for the original Samsung Galaxy Gear that did a full OS swap, switching the device from Android to Tizen. Now U.S. Galaxy Gear owners can experience that swap for themselves.

Samsung pinged me today to announce that the Tizen OS update is now available for U.S.-based owners of the OG Galaxy Gear. The update, which is “completely optional,” will include the following benefits:

• Access to more apps
• Music enhancements found on the Gear 2
• Support for storing music and music playback using Bluetooth headphones
• Improved user interface with more fonts, wallpapers and home screen icons
• Improved health and fitness features like real-time workout tracking
• Improved battery life

Samsung notes that once you pull the trigger on this Tizen update, the Galaxy Gear can’t be reverted back to Android. There appear to be quite a few benefits to performing this Tizen upgrade, but fans of Android hacking may not want to go through with the update, opting instead to keep their existing OS.

If you’ve got a Galaxy Gear and want to update it to Tizen, you can install the upgrade through Samsung’s Kies 3.0 computer software.

Are any of you still rocking the original Galaxy Gear? If you are, do you plan on updating to Tizen?

Via Samsung