Samsung has finally taken the wraps off its curved Gear S smartwatch just a week ahead of its unpacked IFA event scheduled for September 3.
Announcing the launch, JK Shin, CEO and head of IT & mobile communication at Samsung Electronics, said that the company is leading the exciting and rapidly developing wearable category through progressive innovation.
He said that the Samsung Gear S redefines the idea of the smart wearable and the culture of mobile communication. The new smartwatch will let consumers live a truly connected life anywhere, anytime, Shin added.
Powered by a 1GHz dual-core CPU coupled with 512MB of RAM, the Tizen-based wearable device features a 2-inch curved Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels and packs 4GB of internal storage. Backed by a 300mAh Li-ion battery, which is rated to deliver 2 days of charge usage under normal conditions, the Gear S is IP67-certified that makes the smartwatch resistant to water and dust.
The Gear S supports 3G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity which will allow users to stay informed with seamless notifications from social networks, calendars and applications even when they don’t have their phones with them.
The smartwatch will allow users to instantly reply to incoming messages using the onscreen keyboard, or utilize enhanced S voice functionality to complete urgent tasks. Furthermore, the new Samsung Gear S will let users make and receive calls directly from their wrist, or get calls forwarded from their smartphones.
The Gear S will come equipped with some of the features including turn-by-turn pedestrian navigation provided via Here Maps, a 24-hour news service from the Financial Times, advanced reading technology from Spritz, a music player and photo gallery, a Nike+ Running application, S Health features, and more.
Samsung has also announced the Gear Circle which when paired with a smartphone, will let users easily pick up calls, listen to music and make voice commands.
Both the Samsung Gear S and the Gear Circle will be available globally beginning October through Samsung’s retail channels, e-commerce sites and carriers. However there’s no word on pricing yet.
