You Won’t Get Lost With New $599 Samsung Gear S3 Smart Watch
Samsung has launched a cracker of a new Gear 3 Smart watch which takes it right up to the Apple offering and beyond.
What Samsung has gone for is premium design, technology that allows people to see a watch face that looks like a top end analogue watch and a host of new connectivity features and downloadable applications.
Launched right next to Bondi Beach Samsung has married the art of analogue watchmaking and mobile innovation.
To incorporate these functions and features, designers and engineers had to embed numerous pieces and parts into the elegant 46mm x 49mm x 12.9mm body of the Gear S3 which comes with a wide choice of watch bands including an Alligator leather band.
The $599, Gear S3 also supports standard 22mm watch bands so that consumers can personalise their device to better fit their own style.
The Gear S3 will be available in two distinct styles – the Gear S3 Classic has a more sophisticated and traditional timepiece style for everyday occasions, while the Gear S3 Frontier will sport a tougher, more rugged look, with Corning Gorilla Glass SR+ making sure it can take a workout beating.
The new watch is the first model of the Gear S collection to feature Corning Gorilla Glass SR+, a material specifically designed for wearable devices to provide a tougher, more scratch-resistant display.
The device’s 3-inch circular Super AMOLED display has a resolution of 360 x 360. A new feature is the Always On capability that continuously shows the time as opposed to fading to black.
An ambient light sensor helps to adjust the brightness of displayed information and works to automatically disable the Always On Watch when users can’t see the screen, such as when the watch is in a pocket or a bag.
New embedded Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology, which uses “magnetic” signals to establish a connection between the Gear S3 and a payment terminal, lets users make mobile payments through Samsung Pay, this will be available in Australia by Xmas.
The bracket, which protects the Gear S3’s components from shocks and impacts, contains a built-in speaker. This, along with the microphone on the mainboard, allows users to make calls, activate voice messaging and listen to their favourite music without earphones.
Improved Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies allow for multiple connectivity options to make it easier for users to listen to music, transfer health data or sync to other devices.
Also improved are the fitness tracking features. According to Samsung Australia executives, “fitness” is still the #1 reason for consumers to buy a smartwatch.
A new built-in GPS allows users to accurately monitor their daily fitness activities while the barometer sensor allows them to measure altitude and atmospheric pressure, and detect sudden changes in weather.
The heart rate monitor (HRM) sensor, meanwhile, ensures that users stay at their target rate for an optimized workout. It even tells you if you are slacking in your workout.
The GPS also enables the device’s SOS feature. Once SOS is triggered, the Gear S3 sends a call to the user’s pre-programmed contact. Location tracking functionality then lets responders pinpoint the user’s position in real time.
The Gear S3 is equipped with a dual core 1.0 GHz application processor (AP). Additionally, the device features 768MB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory.
The new Gear S3 also has a larger, longer-lasting 380mAh Li-ion battery, which has a typical usage of three to four days on a single charge, ensures that the Gear S3 works whenever users need it to.
And, when it does need a battery boost, a 15-minute charge in its wireless charging cradle is all it takes to get around ten hours of wear time claims Samsung.