Go to contents

Samsung releases new smartwatch Gear S3

Posted September. 01, 2016 06:50,   

Updated September. 01, 2016 07:07

한국어
Samsung Electronics has unveiled a new smartwatch that resembles an analogue watch. With the smartwatch market failing to expand, Samsung is deploying a strategy for popularization with more consumer friendly designs.

According to global research firm IDC, the number of smartwatches sold in the second quarter reached 3.5 million units, a decrease by more than 30 percent year-on-year. With Samsung making a head start, Apple is also expected to launch a new watch-like Apple Watch next week, triggering a design war that could reshape the landscape of the world smartwatch market.

○ The most watch-like wearable device

Samsung Electronics unveiled Wednesday local time a new smartwatch called Samsung Gear S3 that supports its mobile payment service Samsung Pay at Tempodrom in Berlin, Germany.

In introducing the new product, Samsung emphasized "watch like" feature. It had claimed "wearable is a machine" when it was initially entering the wearable market. However, as the smartwatch market failed to popularize, it is now turning to focus more on design.

The Gear S3 comes out in two models aimed to realize the feel of both a smartwatch and a traditional watch. The "Frontier" model is aimed at people who favor outdoor activities, and the "Classic" model maximizes the feel of a traditional luxury watch.

The "Frontier" version tried to emotionalize the previous smartwatch. The body has a stainless feel, while the oval button on the right is made of polyurethane, and the straps silicon material. The "Classic" model strengthened the feel of traditional watch. The minute hands were carved with razors, while the button on the right side has a stainless finish to go well with the body. Leather straps are tied to it.

Samsung's efforts to realize a watch-like feel were displayed at the unpack event. At an event that used holograms, traditional watch experts grasped people's attention. Watch designer Yvan Arpa who joined Gear S3 design, industrial designer Arik Levy who collaborated in strap design, and luxury watch blogger Ariel Adams showed up in a talk show and introduced the values and design of the Gear S3. Arpa designed "Big Bang," a popular model of Switzerland luxury watch Hublot.

○ Paying with your wrist

Samsung Pay's quality has also been upgraded. While the Gear S2 supported just NFC, the new watch supports both NFC and MST technologies, which raises consumer convenience. Samsung Pay's use had been limited in Korean stores as most of them support only MST, but now it can be used on existing payment terminals.

The Gear S3 also embedded a separate GPS system that enables immediate confirmation of various fitness information including distance range, heart rate and time spent working out. As it can also measure altitude, atmospheric pressure and speed, an accurate measure of fitness activities can also be made.

User experience has also been improved given that people can receive calls by rotating the circular wheel. Previous products enabled receiving calls by touching the screen or swiping it, but now users can receive calls when they are wearing gloves or cannot see the screen.



베를린=박성진 기자psjin@donga.com