Samsung today introduced the Gear Sport smartwatch.
The watch includes a 1.2-inch OLED display and measures 42.9mm, which Samsung says should fit most people well. It is powered by a dual-core 1 GHz processor and includes 768 MB of RAM and 4 GB of storage for music and other files.
The device packs a 300mAh battery that Samsung says is good for about two days of use, though tracking workouts via GPS will cut down battery life.
Other specs include Bluetooth 4.2, accelerometer, barometer, light sensor, and optical heart rate monitor. It can charge wirelessly and includes NFC for Samsung Pay mobile payments. The device runs Tizen OS 3.0 with some tweaks from Samsung. In particular, Samsung has refreshed its Health and Nutrition platform with more advanced calorie counting and workout tracking.
The wearable can automatically track a wide variety of workouts and provide data such as step counts, distance traveled, floors climbed, and more. The Gear Sport includes Samsung’s rotating bezel to manage the user interface. Two musical buttons along the side also help manage the UI. The device relies on standard 22mm bands and Samsung will provide a variety of straps in materials such as plastic, leather, and woven fabric.
The Gear Sport is waterproof to 50 meters and can handle salt water swimming. It also meets mil-spec standards for protection from abuse, such as drops and shock.
The Gear Sport is compatible with most Android handsets and even the Apple iPhone. Pricing and availability were not disclosed.
