Although the Gear S has 3G and cellular connectivity built in, speculation abounds that carriers will not allow the Gear S to be completely untethered from a users smartphone. Commentators are unsure as to whether carriers will charge a separate subscription fee for the use of the timepiece, or whether it will be included in existing price plans.
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:0059935) has already shown off the capabilities of its new product, including its 360 x 480 Super AMOLED display, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, and 1GHz dual-core processor.
Samsung Gear S compatibility
The smartwatch is a standalone device that will be able to handle calls and messages, as well as syncing with applications such as Samsung Gear S Health and S Voice, in addition to Nike+ Running. Capabilities will be enhanced through the use of a compatible smartphone, as is the case for Nokia’s HERE mapping service.
For those who would like something slightly more special, Samsung has announced a collaboration with Swarovski. The “Swarovski for Samsung” collection will include a Gear S which sports a crystal encrusted strap, incorporating a Crystal Fine Mesh.
An impending release
Although the official launch date is yet to be announced, those impatient to see the new product will be able to visit one of 125 AT&T stores from this Friday to get a sneak preview.
Both the standard model and the Swarovski collaboration are predicted to arrive in October, but prices have not yet been confirmed.
Samsung has released wrist-worn products before, such as the Galaxy Gear that was released last year. This first attempt was followed by the Gear 2 and the Gear 2 Neo, as well the Gear Fit which was focused on the health tracking market.
At the same time as announcing the arrival of the Gear S, Samsung also introduced us to the Gear Circle. The device is designed to be worn around a users neck, with the capability to take calls and communicate incoming messages through vibrations.
