The new smartwatch from the South Korean company has been confirmed According to the American media outlet Bloomberg, they're not just talking about its existence, but also that it would be a standalone device, not dependent on a smartphone to function. It would even be capable of making calls. We'll tell you everything you need to know about the new Samsung Galaxy Gear.
As will be?
El Samsung Galaxy Gear It will be a smart watch, but it was not yet clear whether it would be simply a second screen for a smartphone, which was always synchronized with it and which would allow us to view emails, or if it would be an independent device. The latest information confirms that it will be autonomous, that it will not depend on any smartphone. The components that it would have are proof of this. The watch would be capable of making calls, reading emails, browsing the Internet, and sending SMS, among many other functions, since in principle, there is nothing that differentiates it from any Android smartphone or tablet. In addition, it will have Google's operating system, as is clear.
With the arrival of the business model, Samsung ended up betting on a smartphone complement approach: The Gear is paired by Bluetooth 4.0 LE with compatible Galaxy phones (Android 4.3 and later) to receive notifications, answer calls from your wrist, and run quick tasks with S Voice. Initial pairing is made easy with NFC integrated into the charging base, and functions such as find my device y Voice Memo complete the experience.
Screen and camera
The display on this smartwatch would be three by three centimeters, which corresponds to a diagonal of 1,67 inches. Obviously, it is a small size, to be able to wear it on the wrist, but still be functional. If we compare it with other watches, such as the Pebble Watch, which has a 1,26-inch screen, or the Sony SmartWatch 2, with a 1,6-inch screen, we can get an idea of ​​what the current market is like. The resolution of the Samsung Galaxy Gear's screen would also be much better than that of the Pebble Watch, being 320 by 320 pixels, while its rival's is 144 by 168 pixels. Thus, the pixel density would be 270 PPI, a really high figure if we take into account that it will not be used to watch videos or play video games. However, even if it were, the quality is very good. This screen would be of type AMOLEDThis is already common practice for Samsung when manufacturing smartphones and tablets, so it's no surprise. Furthermore, if it ends up being flexible or curved, it can only be AMOLED, as an LCD screen couldn't be curved.
The camera would be 2 megapixelsIt's not a high-end camera, but for a smartwatch, and the first fully functional watch likely to hit the market, it's par for the course.
In the commercial model, the camera is 1,9 SM with sensor BSI y autofocus, integrated into the strap; allows you to capture quick photos and video HD 720p. Clips and images are automatically synced to the paired phone. The watch includes 10 spheres pre-loaded for quick customization and a selection of colored straps (black, grey, orange, beige, rose gold and lime green) that target different user styles.
Processor and RAM
New details about the processor it will have confirm that it will be a standalone watch. While the screen is essential even if it were a watch that depended on a smartphone, the processor is not in the same situation. This watch will have a Dual-core SoC, something that wouldn't be necessary if it were simply going to tell the time, display emails, and tell us we had two missed calls. The processor would have Cortex-A9 architecture and would reach a clock speed of 1,5 GHzAnd if that doesn't confirm the possibilities, we must also consider that it will have a Mali 400-MP4 graphics processor. That is, if it were a smartphone, we could call it a mid-to-high-end model, but it's a smartwatch.
The RAM will be 1 GBThe most basic range smartphones have 512MB of RAM, the minimum required to run Android Jelly Bean. This indicates that they wanted to create something of high quality.
In the final specifications, the Gear mounts a Exynos from single core to 800 MHz Mali-400 MP4 GPU, 512 MB of RAM y 4 GB storage (approx. 2GB available). There is no microSD slot and no WiFi or GPS, and its role is to run lightweight apps specific to the ecosystem. The system started with Android 4.3 and he received update to Tizen, getting better fluency y autonomy. In more demanding third-party apps, some bugs may appear. lag, although the experience with calls, basic voice control and quick camera capture was satisfactory.
Launch and price of the Samsung Galaxy Gear
As far as the launch of this new smart watch is concerned, everything seems to indicate that it will arrive at the beginning of next month, the September 4, at the company's upcoming event, where it will also unveil the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. However, it's still unclear whether this will be the case. The press invitations did allude to the Galaxy Note 3, but not to this Galaxy Gear. The same is true of price. None of the statements made about this smartwatch have mentioned how much it will cost. An acceptable price would be less than 200 euros, but it seems unlikely that this will be the case.
Samsung introduced the Gear at a technology fair in Berlin with the family Galaxy Note, with a reference price of 299 Euros and phased rollout in over a hundred markets. Availability and compatibility were progressively expanded through updates to models such as Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 o Note II, consolidating its role as an accessory to the Galaxy ecosystem.
Design and construction
The Gear is committed to a design industrial with a metal front and visible screws that reinforce its technological look. Its dimensions are 36,8 x 56,6 x 11,1 mm and weighs around 73,8 g, so it is above a conventional watch in size, but conveys a feeling of sturdiness noticeable on the wrist. The strap integrates the camera, so it is not interchangeable like on a standard watch. Still, the range of colors and the 10 spheres help to personalize it for different profiles.
Connectivity, compatibility and notifications
Connectivity is based on Bluetooth 4.0 + BLE for efficient consumption, with support of NFC at the base charging for quick pairing. It does not include built-in WiFi or GPS. At launch, the watch stood out for allowing make and receive calls from the wrist with good audio quality thanks to microphones with noise reduction and built-in speaker. The system of notifications evolved with updates: from showing basic notifications (SMS, email and own apps) to offering more context in compatible apps; even so, the limit of 10 installable third-party apps and the dependence on available memory conditioned the experience.
Battery, charging and daily performance
Battery 315 mAh promises a typical use of one day with active synchronization and up to several days of standby time, in line with other smartwatches with a color screen. Charging is done with a basis owner adding port microUSB. The screen is activated with wrist gesture or button; it's agile, albeit with occasional inaccuracy that Samsung has been polishing with firmware. Due to its panel size and power, the watch feels powerful for everyday tasks (calls, controlling music on your phone, voice notes), although it doesn't replace a phone.
Featured Apps and Useful Features
The Gear arrived with about 70 applications adapted, among which stand out Evernote (quick capture of ideas), LINE (messaging), Pocket (read later with text-to-speech), Glympse (share location), RunKeeper y MyFitnessPal (activity and nutrition), eBay, Path, Atooma o Banjo. It also incorporates its own utilities such as Chaton, Voice Memo y S Voice for basic commands. Although you can control tracks from your phone, the watch is not intended as a standalone MP3 player.
Sensors and resistance
In sensors, it integrates accelerometer, gyroscope y pedometer to quantify steps and activate functions using gestures. The resistance IP55 Protects against dust and water jets, but is not designed for immersion. A single side button acts as a Home and quick access to S Voice, and a triple tap works as emergency button to share your location with a predefined contact.
With an advanced mobile accessory approach, the Samsung Galaxy Gear launched a line of Samsung connected watches with a strong focus on the screen AMOLED, wrist-based calling, a built-in camera, and an app ecosystem. Its combination of robust design, integration with Galaxy phones, and a set of highly useful everyday features laid the groundwork for subsequent Gear and Galaxy Watch series, remaining a historic benchmark in the smartwatch category.
