The time has finally arrived. After leaked FCC filings, leaked photos, and even large signs, Samsung has finally taken the wraps off the Gear Sport alongside of the Gear Fit2 Pro and the second-generation Gear IconX.
The Gear Sport follows in the same vein as the Gear S3 Frontier and Gear S3 Classic, with the device featuring a 1.2-inch, circular Super AMOLED display with a 360 x 360p screen resolution (302ppi), a dual-core, 1GHz processor, 768MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, a 300mAh battery with wireless charging, 5ATM water resistance, and MIL-STD-810G rating for shock protection.
The 1.2-inch circular Super AMOLED panel is smaller than the Gear S3 Frontier and Classic’s 1.3-inch circular Super AMOLED displays, though the dual-core 1GHz processor, 768MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, and wireless charging are what you’ll find in the Gear S3 Frontier and Classic. 20mm straps will work for the Gear Sport, so it seems that the wristbands are interchangeable and will fit with any 20mm strap without trouble.
The Full Color Always On Display returns here as is the case with the Gear S3 series, so that you can keep the time and notifications on your wrist to view at a moment’s notice. And, among the new features, the Gear Sport lets you control Samsung iOT-enabled devices through Samsung Connect and use your Gear Sport as a remote control for even Samsung’s Gear VR headset. The smartwatch as Gear VR remote control patent has officially leaped from the paperwork to the product.
There are some differences between the new Gear Sport and the Gear S3 series, though. First, the 300mAh battery is smaller than the 380mAh battery of the Gear S3 Frontier and Classic batteries, though, but the 50-meter (5ATM) water resistance is new and ideal for swimmers who intend to take to the water to get the most out of their new sports smartwatch. Next, the Gear Sport features Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3, which is a step down from the scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass SR+ (the “SR” is for “scratch resistance” here) present in the Gear S3 Frontier and Gear S3 Classic, though the device should prove formidable for most element encounters.
Samsung only includes NFC on the Gear Sport, not MST as is the case with the Gear S3 smartwatches; this means that you’ll only get to access Samsung Pay at NFC terminals, no traditional card reader access allowed. And, though your Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and Galaxy Note 8 all have Bluetooth 5.0, Gear Sport users will only get access to Bluetooth 4.2. 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, along with GPS and GLONASS, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, heart rate monitor, and the ambient light sensor, are included as well.
The Gear Fit2 Pro is the Korean manufacturer’s updated version of the Gear Fit2, which proved to be long overdue when it was released. The Gear Fit2 Pro features a 1.5-inch, curved Super AMOLED display with a 216 x 432p screen resolution, Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3, a dual-core 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, 50-meter (5 ATM) water resistance with the MIL STD 810G shock rating, pogo-type charging, and a 200mAh battery running Tizen (no Tizen 3.0 mentioned here). As for software features, both the Gear Sport and the Gear Fit2 Pro include swim tracking, real-time heart rate monitoring, auto activity detection, and premium partnerships with Under Armour and Spotify as well as MapMyRun and Endomondo.
The second-generation Gear IconX 2018 earbuds, a followup to the first-generation Gear IconX buds, feature 4GB of memory per earbud, USB 2.0 and USB Type-C charging, Bluetooth 4.2, up to 7 hours of play time and up to 4 hours of talk time.
Samsung’s Gear Sport comes in Black and Blue colors and is compatible with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and higher and iPhones 5, SE, 6S, 6s Plus, 7, and 7 Plus running iOS 9 or higher. The Gear Fit2 Pro comes in Black and Red colors and has the same compatibility as the Gear Sport. The Gear IconX 2018 earbuds come in your choice of Black, Gray, or Pink colors. Pricing has not been announced at this time, but the Gear Fit2 Pro has been rumored with a $199.99 price tag.
Stay tuned to Tizen Experts, as we bring you more coverage of Samsung and these Tizen-powered wearables at IFA 2017.
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