Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo are official, shun Android

Samsung has officially announced the successors to the Galaxy Gear smart watch. The Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo are the first wearables to run Tizen, the Linux-based open source operating system that's looking to challenge Android's dominance. That's why they've both dropped the word 'Galaxy' from their names.

They're also a little sleeker than the original Gear, because the 2-megapixel camera has been shifted to the screen instead of bulking out the strap. (The Gear 2 Neo doesn't have a camera, that's the only difference between these two new models.)

Like the original Gear, these new models come in a range of colours. Choose from black, brown, and orange for the Gear 2, and black, grey and orange for the Gear 2 Neo. You can also customise the home screen background, clock face and font as you see fit.

Like the original Gear, both sync to your smart phone, but as with the original, it'll have to be a Samsung device. They both have standalone music players and come with Bluetooth headsets, so you can listen to tunes on the go even if you've left your handset at home. That generous 4GB of storage should be room for plenty of tracks, too.

Thanks to the WatchON Remote app, you can control your TV or set-top box using your new Samsung smart watch. Cue mayhem in the window display at Currys.

Samsung says both devices will be compatible with more than a dozen Samsung Galaxy smart phones, which is a lot more than the original Gear. They're scheduled to go on sale in April, though when I asked, Samsung couldn't give me a UK price yet.

Both devices will be on show at Mobile World Congress, which kicks off tonight in Barcelona. We'll bring you all the news as it happens over at CNET.com, or keep it locked to CNET UK for daily round-ups of what's happening, alongside more UK-focussed news.

What do you make of Sammy's new smart watches? Let me know in the comments, or over on our Facebook page.