LG’s not the only company announcing a new wearable tonight.
The Samsung Gear S is the latest piece of wristwear from the Galaxy family, and unlike previous Gear smartwatches, the Gear S doesn’t need to be paired with a smartphone for communications. The Gear S has its own 2G (900/1800 or 850/1900) and 3G (900/2100 or 850/1900) support, meaning tat you can use it to make calls and send both messages and emails using its onscreen keyboard.
Speaking of screen, the Gear S packs a 2-inch 480x360 Super AMOLED display on its face. The display is also curved, which Samsung says will help it to fit comfortably on the wearer’s wrist.
The rest of the Samsung Gear S’s spec list includes a 1GHz dual-core processor, 4GB of storage, 512MB of RAM, software features like S Voice and S Health as well as a bevy of sensors that include an accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, heart rate and ambient light. There’s a 300mAh battery powering the Gear S that Samsung says will last 2 days under “typical usage.”
It’s also worth noting that the Samsung Gear S is powered by Tizen and includes support for Samsung’s Gear apps.
Along with the Gear S, Samsung plans to launch a headset-style device called the Gear Circle that will allow users to receive calls, listen to music and issue voice commands over a Bluetooth connection. It clasps around the wearer’s neck and can vibrate to alert the user to incoming calls and other alerts.
Both the Samsung Gear S and Gear Circle will launch in global markets starting in October. While some folks may lament the fact that the Gear S runs Tizen and not Android Wear, the new smartwatch has a lot of interesting features that may pique the interest of consumers. Not only does it have its own 3G connection, but its 2-inch display is also larger than most other wearables currently on the market. To compare, the Gear 2 and Gear Live feature 1.63-inch screens.
What do you all make of the Samsung Gear S? Would you like to put one on your wrist potentially leave your phone at home, relying only on the Gear S for communications?
Via Samsung
