After a trademark filing for “Galaxy Gear” earlier this month, Samsung is reportedly planning to debut a watch with that name on September 4. According to Boomberg, the Galaxy Gear smartwatch “will make phone calls, surf the Web and handle e-mails.” Bloomberg says the watch will debut with the Galaxy Note 3, which we already expect on September 4.
According to GigaOm, the Samsung Galaxy Gear will reportedly feature a 2.5-inch rectangular screen, feature a camera and have a speaker built in. The report says that the smartwatch will marketed more as a companion device than a standalone gadget. It is unclear how much of the phone will be reliant on the owner also having a Samsung smartphone. It will feature a screen that sits on top of a strap and come with Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC connectivity. That connectivity will allow users to start reading a notification on their watch and immediately switch it to their smartphone if they need a larger screen.
In terms of software, it is said to come with Android 4.1. However, despite coming with Android, it appears Samsung will restrict the downloading of apps for its smartwatch to its own app store. Unsurprisingly, the Galaxy Gear will also come with a range of sensors. An accelerometer will be used for the usual fitness tracking, alongside turning the watch’s screen on when it senses it is being brought up to the wearer’s face.
Officially, Samsung has confirmed that it is working on a smartwatch, but is yet to confirm its name or any of its features. Speaking in March, executive vice-president of Samsung’s mobile business Lee Young Hee said: "We are working very hard to get ready for it. We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them.”
Here’s T3’s Samsung Galaxy Gear 3D concept video to give you an idea of what could emerge into the smartwatch retail space.
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