Galaxy Gear smart watch coming next week, Samsung says
Samsung's Galaxy Gear smart watch will be unveiled on 4 September, an executive has confirmed.
- Shortlisted for British Photography Awards 2022, Commended in Landscape Photographer of the Year 2022
A loose-lipped Samsung executive has confirmed not only that Samsung will be launching a smart watch, but that it will be unveiled on 4 September at the IFA trade show in Berlin.
Speaking to the Korea Times (via Android Beat), executive vice president of Samsung Mobile Lee Young-Hee confirmed that the Galaxy Gear watch will arrive next week and will be based on Android. Young-Hee also stated that it won't use a flexible display, putting an end to rumours about bendy screens wrapping around your wrist.
Further information about the watch wasn't discussed so we still don't know whether we'll be seeing a regular version of Android on board. Given the small size of the screen, it's likely that it will be a heavily customised version of the software, designed to run specific apps that link it to an Android smart phone. Actual screen size and processor remain unknown, although previous leaks hint that it'll be able to make calls and surf the web.
With a 4 September launch, Samsung is evidently hoping to get off to an early lead with its wearable tech, ahead of Apple's own much-rumoured smart watch, that's yet to see the light of day.
Young-Hee also confirmed that the Galaxy Note 3 will be given a 4 September launch. Firm specs of the new enormo-phone are still unknown, but it's expected to have a gigantic Full HD screen, a stylus for writing, 4G connectivity and potentially an octa-core processor here in the UK.
We'll be swarming all over the IFA show in Berlin next week so make sure to keep it CNET for all the latest news from the show floor. While you're waiting, let me know your thoughts on Samsung's watch on our Facebook page and whether you're more excited to see what Apple does with its own watch.