Consumer electronics giant Samsung has announced the second generation smartwatch Gear , along with budget variant Gear 2 Neo, just few hours ahead of the much talked about smartphone launch of the year - Galaxy S5.
"Samsung continues to lead innovation in the wearable market by creating devices that are completely integrated into the lives of consumers through extended connectivity features, stylish customization options and a robust application ecosystem," said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics.
"With the Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, we have enhanced everything consumers love about the Gear to offer unparalleled smart freedom in their everyday life," he added.
Samsung Gear 2 sports a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED display with 320x320p resolution and runs on Samsung's proprietary Tizen operating system, powered by 1.0-GHz dual-core processor with 512MB RAM and 4GB inbuilt memory.
Other mentionable features include 2.0-megapixel camera in the smartwatch module (an improvement over its predecessor which had camera in the strap), dust and water-resistant IP67 certifications, control TV (featuring IrLED sensor) and personal fitness coaching via value-added applications like Exercise (comes with Standalone mode and Companion mode), Pedometer along with Heart Rate sensor, Sleep and Stress app (needs to be downloaded separately).
On the other hand, Gear 2 Neo packs pretty much the same specifications seen inside the Gear 2, sans a one key feature - camera. Both smartwatches will be compatible with more than a dozen Samsung smartphones but the company refrained from disclosing if the new gadgets will be able to tag with other Android handsets, unlike its predecessor which was mainly criticised for this shortcoming.
Company says that both Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo would be made available globally from April but the price details of the devices are still under the wraps.
In related news, Samsung is slated to pull the wraps off the 2014 flagship smartphone Galaxy S5 on Monday (24 February) at Unpacked 5 event, Barcelona, Spain.
[Also read- Samsung Galaxy S5 Roundup: Expected Key Features and Price Details]
Key specifications of Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo:
| Model | Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo |
| Display | 1.63-inch Super AMOLED display with 320x320p resolutions |
| OS/ interface | Tizen based wearable platform |
| Processor | 1.0GHz dual-core processor |
| RAM | 512MB RAM |
| Memory | 4GB |
| Camera | Gear 2: 2.0-megapixel camera with auto-focus, Sound & Shot, Location Tags, SignatureGear 2 Neo: Not available |
| Battery | 300 mAh;Normal usage: 2-3 days
Low usage: up to 6 days |
| Fitness features | Heart Rate sensor, Pedometer, Sleep & Stress app (needs to be downloaded separately), Exercise (with Standalone mode and Companion mode) |
| Add-ons | Bluetooth call, Camera, Notification (SMS, E-Mail, Apps), dust and water resistant IP67 certifications, Noise cancellation, media controller, Smart Relay, S Voice, Stopwatch, Dust and water resistant IP67 certifications, Noise cancellation |
| Dimensions | Gear 2: 36.9 x 58.4 x 10.0 mmGear 2 Neo: 37.9 x 58.8 x 10.0 mm |
| Weight | Gear 2: 68 gGear 2 Neo: 55 g |
| Colors (Changeable straps) | Gear 2: Charcoal Black, Gold Brown and Wild OrangeGear 2 Neo: Charcoal Black, Mocha Grey and Wild Orange |
