Samsung’s Gear smartwatches have been seeing a lack of interest lately, especially since the segment has now become saturated with many new contenders and fitness trackers that can do the same things as the Gear smartwatch. Based on recent reports, Samsung will be pulling up its socks and getting back into the game with the release of its next sports watch and it could be as soon as this month.
The new wearable reportedly made its appearance in a listing at the FCC and goes by the model number SM-R600. The listing also contains a diagram of the smartwatch that indicates the official name of the wearable to be the Samsung Gear Sport. The listing does not explicitly mention it is a smartwatch, meaning it could be just a fitness tracker, but considering the device has the Gear moniker attached to it, it is likely to have smartwatch capabilities as well. The device, based on the provided image in the listing, also comes with a round dial, which follows the Gear design aesthetic closely.
According to rumors, the smartwatch will probably consist of features such as on-board Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Samsung has also requested that the documents regarding further details of the smart device be confidential. Samsung’s smartwatch interface will also likely be provided with a bit of a makeover to match the tone of the smartwatch. Whether a significant update to the watch’s Tizen OS will be made or not is yet to be seen.
It might be about time that Samsung introduced its Bixby AI to its smartwatches now, since the company has already started developing headphones with a dedicated Bixby button. The smartwatch is likely to be announced at the upcoming IFA in Berlin, where numerous other companies will be launching their latest smartwatches to the world. Exactly what Samsung will bring differently to the market in terms of a sports-oriented device is yet to be seen.
Samsung’s direction to make a sports watch seems appropriate as Apple has already reinvented the image of its own smartwatch brand, adding new features and partnerships for assisting exercises and workouts. The Gear line has always been used for general use and making a sports-based smartwatch will make the product compete equally with Apple and FitBit, who are enjoying a big piece of the market-share currently. With the Note 8 coming out soon and the iPhone 8 close on the company’s heels, Samsung will be looking to end the year with more success compared to last year.