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US Galaxy phones get Android 4.3, Galaxy Gear go-ahead

A handful of Galaxy smartphones like the Galaxy S4, S3, and Note 2 are primed to pair with Samsung's smartwatch.

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Watch this: Meet the Samsung Galaxy Gear

Samsung made it official on Monday that it's readied an Android 4.3 Jelly Bean software update that will let certain US smartphones pair with the company's Galaxy Gear smartwatch.

This announcement dovetails with an earlier statement that Samsung would push out the update on a global scale.

The Premium Suite software package will give the Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, and Galaxy Note 2 smartphones the enhancements they need to work with the new smartwatch, a $300 accessory that previously only paired with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

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An alleged leak of a grid of release dates points to carrier updates that start as soon as today (Verizon's Galaxy S4) and span all the way to early December (T-Mobile's Note 2).

Owners of the Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy S4 Mini, and Galaxy Mega phones who also have an eye on the Gear need to hold tight: the update for these phones is slated for "the coming months."

Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch looks good, but doesn't do enough (pictures)

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In addition to Android 4.3 features and Galaxy Gear compatibility, the Premium Suite brings a few Samsung extras to the camera, includes a split-screen mode, and a simplified home screen option.

Although updates begin as soon as today, it's more likely they'll arrive staggered by smartphone and carrier, in the coming weeks.

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