Introduction
Samsung has already unveiled the Galaxy Note8 just a week prior to the IFA in Berlin. It did even spill the beans, accidentally or not, on the Gear Fit2 band. So, what was left for the actual expo then? The Gear Sport, of course, the next-gen cord-free fitness earbuds - Gear IconX (2018), and some additional information for the previously obscure Gear Fit2 Pro.
It's not the first time Samsung to dedicate the IFA event to wearables and it surely won't be the last. The Gear smartwatches are on the rise and the next entry - the Gear Sport for avid swimmers seems quite the reasonable addition.
Samsung claims the #1 reason for buying smart wearables is health and most of the frequent exercisers listen to music while doing their routines. That's why the new lineup up of wearables is focusing on both advanced fitness features, connectivity, and music experience.
Both the new Gear Sport watch and the new Gear Fit2 Pro were designed with swimmers in mind. Those two wearables are 5ATM water resistant in open waters (yes, that includes salty sea/ocean water) and are capable of recognizing every standard swimming style and record your workout.
Finally, Samsung announced a second-gen cord-free earbuds - the Gear IconX (2018). Those have improved battery life, smaller case with quick charge support, and more.
We had brief encounters with those wearables in Berlin, so if you want to know more - we continue right after the jump.
Samsung Gear Sport hands-on
The Gear Sport, a rather niche, yet powerful smartwatch went official today at the special Samsung event in Berlin. It comes in Black and Blue version and those are usually bundled with two silicon bands - long and short in length, but same in width.
The universal width of 20mm for the bands seems odd, but apparently Samsung has designed everything to be unisex. But in case you are not keen on the silicone straps, Samsung will be offering 23 additional ones made of fabric, leather, rubber, hybrid (rubber and leather) and more.
Indeed, the Gear Sport seems as universal as it can get - the body is 42.9 x 44.6 mm and the circular Super AMOLED screen is 1.2" with 360p resolution. The watch weighs just 50g without the band.
Samsung Gear Sport
We already mentioned the Gear Sport targets swimmers and its proofing specs say it all - 5ATM resistance (50m depth of pressure), MIL-STD-810G rating which translates into pool and salt water, sand and dust, UV, shock, among others. The front glass is Gorilla Glass 3, while the case is made of stainless steel.
Samsung Gear Sport
The new Health app launching with the Note8, but also available on iOS, will fully support the Gear Sport and its advanced features. Some of those include calories consumer tracking and automatic workout recognition and tracking. Apparently with the Gear Sport you will no longer need to set what workout you are going to start - the Sport will know. Even better, it was made to recognize all standard swimming styles.
And here is one very useful feature coming with the Gear Sport. No, it's not the GPS, heart-rate, and NFC for Samsung Pay, although those are available. It's option to turn off the capacitive sensors on top of the screen with a 3s hold on the lower key - that way the screen won't go haywire when in contact with water.
One more thing we should note is the presence of a Power Point/VR controller inside the watch - in fact a Gear Sport was used to control our entire presentation.
Samsung Gear Sport
The Gear Sport feels much lighter than the Gear S3 and as expected - its looks are pretty sporty. The screen is very bright, and the Tizen looks as good and friendly as ever. Even if you are not swimmer, the Sport has the needed tech to follow you through whatever workouts you will be doing and collect all the information automatically. And in case you are new to the sports, Samsung and its new S Health app offers various videos and tutorials to get you started on different workout routines.
Samsung Gear Sport
Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro hands-on
Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro official page was published hours before the Note8 unpacking, most probably by accident. It's basically the same as the original Fit2, but enhanced with 5ATM water resistance, MIL-STD-810G certification for sea water, shock, UV, and more, and support for the new swimming exercises.
Just like the new Gear Sport, the Gear Fit2 Pro automatically detects your workout GPS position, and tracks your progress and heart-rate. The new S Health app will help you get started with lots of videos and tutorials.
Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro
The Gear Fit2 Pro will be available in pure black, or black with red interior.
Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro
Samsung has partnered with various companies for enhanced user experience. Spotify allows you to save up to 500 songs for offline listening, you also get 1-year premium subscription for UA Record for free. Partners such as Speedo and Under Armour will offer their expertise for the swimming workouts and probably some matching suits.
The Gear Fit2 Pro, just like the previous Gear Fit2 will be available in Small and Large sizes, sold separately.
Samsung Gear IconX (2018) hands-on
The last accessory announced by Samsung was the Gear IconX (2018) cord-free earbuds. Those are the second generation IconX and come with improved battery life - they can offer 5h of streaming music (7h when in standalone mode) or 4h of talk time.
The charging case is smaller than before, supports quick charging and you can get a full charge of it. Samsung says 10mins of charging through the case will give you battery enough to last you 1h of exercises.
Samsung Gear IconX (2018)
The new Gear IconX (2018) have 4 gigs storage for songs, but also come with a personal running coach, which will offer words of encouragement through your workouts.
Samsung Gear IconX (2018)
The buds have touch-sensitive surface with gesture support - single/double/tripe tap, single/double tap and hold, and swipe up/down. The IconX (2018) also support Bixby, of course.
Samsung Gear IconX (2018)
0 Response to "Samsung at IFA 2017: Gear Sport, Fit2 Pro, IconX (2018) hands-on review"
Post a Comment