Gear S3 is now Launched
It seems forever since we have been waiting for the next Samsung Tizen based smartwatch to be released, and the good news is that it was launched at a special event that was held last week at the Tempodrom arena in Germany. As expected the Gear S3 retains many of the same characteristics of its predecessor, the Gear S2, as we have the same round face and rotating bezel which seems a winning combination for Samsung.
The Samsung Gear S3 is available in two different styles. frontier and classic. The frontiers has a more rugged look for the outdoor athlete in you. The Gear S3 classic is more of an minimalist style that will compliment any businessman’s suit. We have an attractive and responsive smartwatch, partially thanks to Tizen, which uses quality materials which includes 316L steel and Corning glass SR+, which offers a tougher and more scratch resistant display.
IP68 water resistance is still there, as was the case with the s2, but this time some models support LTE connectivity. For the “more active” of you the Gear S3 Frontier might be a better bet as it can offer better protection as it can better handle extreme heats and colds better.
Some felt that a smartwatch isn’t quite a smartwatch unless it supports on Always on Display (AOD). For me it wasn’t much of an issue on my Gear S2 but then if you want people to be able to read the time at 10 paces then so be it. The display now supports a full 16 million colors with AOD and Super AMOLED technologies bundled in. Another feature that I can however call really great is the inclusion of Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) and Near Field Communication (NFC) support for Samsung Pay, which now allows you to pay for items without the need to have your smartwatch connected to a compatible smartphone, freedom is here !
The smartwatches has an In-built GPS as well as an Alti/barometer and Speedometer that equips the outdoor athlete with critical tools they need to excel at their chosen sports. The Gear S3 frontier is the model that has LTE connectivity and a built-in speaker, which will allow you to make and receive telephone calls.
An important consideration for modern smartwatches is battery life. With the S2 I tend to get up to 3 days use on a single charge but with the S3 that gets extended to 4 days thanks to the upgraded 380mah battery. In addition, the Gear S3 is compatible with standard 22mm watch bands meaning you can personalise your S3 further to give it your particular look.
“With the Gear S3, we sought to integrate tradition and technology, bringing to the forefront an immensely intelligent smartwatch. The large watch face was inspired by styles emerging from the world’s most premium watch brands. A classic timepiece combined with the latest innovations in technology, the Gear S3 is bound to withstand the test of time,” said Yvan Arpa, the Switzerland-based luxury watch designer, who was involved in the Gear S3 design process.
Now that the Gear S3 has been launched, Samsung have confirmed that they will continue software updates and support to the Gear S2 and will also be select Gear S3 features.
Gear S3 Pictures
Gear S3 Specifications
Gear S3 frontier | Gear S3 classic | |
Model | Bluetooth®, LTE | Bluetooth® |
Display | 1.3” Circular Super AMOLED 360 x 360, 278ppi Full Color Always On Display Corning® Gorilla® Glass SR+ |
|
AP | Dual core 1.0 GHz | |
OS | Tizen Based Wearable Platform 2.3.2 | |
Size | 46 x 49 x 12.9 62g (without band) 46 x 49 x 12.9 |
57g (without band) |
Strap | 22mm | 22mm |
Memory | 4GB Internal memory, 768MB RAM | |
Connectivity | 3G/LTE, Bluetooth® 4.2, Wi-Fi b/g/n, NFC, MST, A-GPS/Glonass |
Bluetooth® 4.2, Wi-Fi b/g/n, NFC, MST, GPS/Glonass |
Sensor | Accelerometer, Gyro, Barometer, HRM, Ambient light | |
Battery | 380mAh | |
Charge | Wireless charging (WPC Inductive) | |
Durability | IP68 water & dust resistance |
Model | Bluetooth®, LTE |
Display | 1.3” Circular Super AMOLED 360 x 360, 278ppi Full Color Always On Display Corning® Gorilla® Glass SR+ |
AP | Dual core 1.0 GHz |
OS | Tizen Based Wearable Platform 2.3.2 |
Size | 46 x 49 x 12.9 62g (without band) |
Strap | 22mm |
Memory | 4GB Internal memory, 768MB RAM |
Connectivity | 3G/LTE, Bluetooth® 4.2, Wi-Fi b/g/n, NFC, MST, A-GPS/Glonass |
Sensor | Accelerometer, Gyro, Barometer, HRM, Ambient light |
Battery | 380mAh |
Charge | Wireless charging (WPC Inductive) |
Durability | IP68 water & dust resistance |
Model | Bluetooth® |
Display | 1.3” Circular Super AMOLED 360 x 360, 278ppi Full Color Always On Display Corning® Gorilla® Glass SR+ |
AP | Dual core 1.0 GHz |
OS | Tizen Based Wearable Platform 2.3.2 | Size | 46 x 49 x 12.9 57g (without band) |
Strap | 22mm |
Memory | 4GB Internal memory, 768MB RAM | Connectivity | Bluetooth® 4.2, Wi-Fi b/g/n, NFC, MST, GPS/Glonass |
Sensor | Accelerometer, Gyro, Barometer, HRM, Ambient light |
Battery | 380mAh |
Charge | Wireless charging (WPC Inductive) |
Durability | IP68 water & dust resistance |