Samsung today unveiled the Gear S3, a striking and innovative smartwatch. Inspired by traditional timepieces, the Gear S3 combines timeless design with the latest in mobile technology, including IP68 water resistance, mobile payments, LTE connectivity and built-in GPS, making it the ideal addition to any watch collection.
Samsung Gear S3 is available in two bold designs to suit different users’ lifestyles: frontier and classic. Inspired by the active explorer, the Gear S3 frontier evokes a rugged outdoor look with an enduring style that blends form and function. The frontier was designed to perform in any setting or environment – whether business or leisure.
The Gear S3 classic pays homage to the minimalist, elegant style found in the most iconic timepieces. The classic was designed with meticulous attention to detail – with its size and shape chosen to attain the same consistency and balance of a well-crafted luxury watch.
“With the Gear S3, we continue to build on our wearables heritage of offering diverse choices to enhance consumers’ unique lifestyles,†said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics.
“Samsung Gear S2 achieved meaningful progress in the smartwatch category with a personalized watch face and a versatile rotating bezel that provided an intuitive smartwatch experience. Now with the new Gear S3, we expand our Gear collection and introduce not only a great smartwatch, but a great watch. With smart capabilities and sophisticated, elegant design, the Gear S3 marks a significant addition to our smartwatch portfolio.â€Â
In a quest to uncover what truly defines a watch, Samsung drew inspiration from manufacturers around the globe, paying particular attention to the skills and craft of assembling a delicate, yet highly complex timepiece. Influenced by the craftsmanship of traditional watches, the Gear S3 was created based on intensive research and surveys from consumers, industry leaders and watch experts all around the world. Every feature, from the circular bezel to the premium finishing and buckles, has been reimagined to elicit the look of a classic timepiece. In addition, the Gear S3 is compatible with 22mm watch bands so consumers can easily personalize their watch to match any outfit or special occasion.
“With the Gear S3, we sought to integrate tradition and technology, bringing to the forefront an immensely intelligent smartwatch. The large watch face was inspired by styles emerging from the world’s most premium watch brands. A classic timepiece combined with the latest innovations in technology, the Gear S3 is bound to withstand the test of time,†said Yvan Arpa, the Switzerland-based luxury watch designer, who was involved in the Gear S3 design process.
In addition to its sleek look, the Gear S3 meets IP68 standards for water resistance so consumers can get through their day, regardless of weather conditions. For the first time on the Gear series, the Gear S3 features Corning Gorilla Glass SR+, which is specifically designed for wearable devices to provide a tougher, more scratch resistant and crisp display.
The 16 million colors full-color Always On Display (AOD) and Super AMOLED technology further differentiates the Gear S3 from other smartwatches. The AOD always shows the time rather than automatically fading to black, embodying a sophisticated watch face that mimics the look and feel of luxury analog watch.
The Gear S3’s signature rotating bezel has been enhanced with new features. Without touching the screen, users can accept or reject a call or snooze an alarm. In addition, by writing or drawing on the display, messages will automatically convert to texts and emojis. Users can also create short reminders and to-do lists to manage even the most hectic schedules with the Reminders application.
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The Gear S3 puts convenience at the flick of the wrist, allowing users to leave their smartphone behind when they don’t need it on-hand. The built-in GPS functionality enables users to accurately monitor their daily fitness activities while the Alti/barometer and Speedometer allow users to track everything from altitude and atmospheric pressure to sudden changes in weather, distance traveled and speed.
Never miss another phone call with LTE connection making its smartwatch debut on the Gear S3 frontier. Additionally, with the built-in speaker, users can activate voice messaging and listen to their favorite tunes. With a battery that lasts up to four days on a single charge, users can enjoy their music, make calls and show off their stylish smartwatch longer.
Now Gear S3 users in select markets can use their smartwatch to make a purchase almost anywhere they can swipe or tap a card with Samsung Pay for Gear S3. Samsung Pay, with Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) and Near Field Communication (NFC) support, means users can easily register a credit or debit card and use it to make mobile payments. Samsung Pay slims down users’ wallets and makes payments accessible on their wrist.
The Gear S3 was designed with consumers’ safety in mind. In case of an emergency, users can activate the SOS and location tracking capabilities to alert family, friends and emergency professionals about crisis situations, even when their phone isn’t in-hand.
Consumers can access a diverse range of apps, including fitness, music, news, sports and travel apps – all optimized for the Gear lineup of devices including the Gear S2 and the Gear S3. With a variety of customizable watch faces available for download, users can personalize the circular UI to fit their lifestyle. Select apps and watch faces will be available for download directly from the Gear S3 without the need to first download on a smartphone. Through an open collaboration with developers and partners, Samsung continues to enrich its wearables ecosystem and provide users with a unique smartwatch experience.
Thanks to a special partnership with Arik Levy, renowned artist and industrial designer, Samsung will introduce artistic watch faces and strap designs. Arik Levy is best known for his sculptures – such as his signature Rock pieces, unique installations and limited-edition designs, all of which are rooted in his belief that “the world is about people, not objects.â€Â
Arik Levy commented:
“It was interesting and fun to collaborate with Samsung on creating unique and evolving watch face concepts and watch bands for the Gear S3. Inspired by my artwork, installations and sculptures, we created features that not only technology-savvy consumers will love but also those who place a high value on art, design, freedom of the mind and aesthetics.â€Â
The modern watch faces and bands designed by Arik Levy will be introduced later this year through select channels.
Adding to the Tizen ecosystem, Samsung introduces the integration of BMW’s personal mobility companion with the new Gear S3 – helping users stay on time, in touch, and in control while further enhancing the connected automobile experience. With the BMW Connected app, users can get alerts when it’s time to leave for their next trip, check their fuel level, unlock their BMW and more – all directly from the Gear S3 watch face.
For the first time ever on a smartwatch, the Samsung Knox Tizen Wearable SDK will be available to third-parties, enabling management capabilities and the development of customized applications for Samsung’s wearable ecosystem. With the Samsung Knox security platform, the Gear S3 will enable broader enterprise business opportunities.
Furthermore, with the launch of the Gear S3, Samsung will continue to roll out software updates and support to provide Gear S2 customers with access to select Gear S3 features.
Samsung Gear S3 Specs
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| Screen size | 1.3-inch circular AMOLED 360×360 resolution, 278 ppi Corning Gorilla Glass SR+ |
| Processor | Dual-core 1GHz Samsung Exynos |
| RAM | 768MB |
| Storage | 4GB |
| Operating system | Tizen Wearable OS 2.3.2 |
| Battery | 380 mAh |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, NFC, MST LTE optional (Frontier) |
| Resistance | IP68 MIL-STD 810G (Frontier) |
| Case size | 46 mm |
| Band size | 22 mm |
| Dimensions | 46 x 49 x 12.9 mm, 62 g (Frontier) 46 x 49 x 12.9 mm, 57 g (Classic) |
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