This is not the first instance that Samsung has come up with a Smart Watch, but it’s the debut of Tizen OS on Samsung devices. The Galaxy Gear Smart Watch was released last September but the Android platform received quite a bit of criticism with regards to its battery life and slowed processing. The new Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo has just introduced by Samsung to expand the company’s unique product line.
According to Samsung’s director of product planning, Drew Blackard “Android isn’t quite optimized for wearable platforms”.
The new Smart Watches promise a minimum of three day battery life and improved application processing. The Gear 2 Neo lets go off the camera functionality (and some weight of-course) and is expected to be available at a lower price than the Gear 2. The other specifications remain the same with the new models of Samsung smart watches and can be listed as under:
- 1 GHz dual core processor
- 1.63 inch Super AMOLED display with 320 x 320 pixel resolution
- Low energy Bluetooth 4, accelerometer, gyroscope, hear rate sensor and infrared
- 512 RAM and 4 GB of internal storage memory
- 300 mAh battery
- Tizen OS
- 2 MP camera (on Gear 2)
The best thing about the new releases is the renewed battery life. The previous Galaxy Gear had about 24 hours capacity, but the new models enhance it three times. The battery sizes are going to remain the same (if that was a question in your mind) but it may probably be the charging mechanism bringing in the difference. However, nothing can be officially established until the product is released or Samsung puts some light into it.
The best thing about the new releases is the renewed battery life. The previous Galaxy Gear had about 24 hours capacity, but the new models enhance it three times. The battery sizes are going to remain the same (if that was a question in your mind) but it may probably be the charging mechanism bringing in the difference. However, nothing can be officially established until the product is released or Samsung puts some light into it.
Samsung’s switch to Tizen however is making the news among gadget enthusiasts. With The Galaxy Gear 1, it had been established that Android hasn’t been quite able to optimize processes needed for wearing devices like Smart Watches. Another theory suggests that Samsung’s desire to be completely dependent on Google’s Android for services and software. Samsung will miss out on all potential and profitable Google stuff and it surely is a risky move.
For those curious, Tizen is another open source and standardized software platform built upon Linux. It has been sometime since the OS has been experimented by device manufacturers, mobile operators, and silicon suppliers and products such as smartphones, netbooks, tablets, TVs, in vehicle infotainment devices, etc. Intel too has many devices running on Tizen OS.
It is still unclear whether the new OS will support the first Android Gear apps. However, Samsung says that the new watches will be compatible with more than a dozen smartphones. Google simultaneously is working on better and more lightweight version of Android suited to wearable devices. We can believe that if Tizen doesn’t work out as expected, Samsung can always look back to Google. There hasn’t been any announcement on the final prices of the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo. Perhaps the Unpacked 5 event to be held in Barcelona this Monday will give some answers.