To the market. Judging by rumors, the new generation of wearable electronics from Samsung will not receive a redesign - the new product will resemble current models with minor modifications.
Appearance of the upcoming gadget remains almost the same. The proprietary Tizen operating system is “to blame” for this, the interface of which is optimized for the round display of smartwatches. It is unlikely that Samsung has redesigned the shell of its platform and created a device in a new form factor - at least, leaks and patents suggest otherwise. The rotating bezel remains above the display, which is an integral element of interaction with Tizen. According to rumors, the OLED display in the Gear S4 has become borderless - similar to that in the Galaxy S9.
While the main characteristics of the watch remained the same (protection from water and dust remained according to the IP68 standard, the heart rate sensor also remained the same), the filling has undergone a change: Samsung installed smart watch new generation updated processor. Thanks to it, the autonomy and performance of the gadget have increased significantly. According to some rumors, the battery life has increased not only due to a more energy-efficient chipset, but also thanks to additional flexible batteries in the strap. However, the reliability of these leaks is rather doubtful.
Samsung is unlikely to introduce something new software, which will work exclusively on the Gear S4. Most likely, the South Korean company will modify the existing proprietary utilities. The smartwatch still pairs with iOS and Android, but its functionality differs depending on the connected device.
According to rumors, Samsung will present the Gear S4 at the international exhibition IFA 2018, which will be held at the end of August 2018. The estimated price of the gadget is $400. It is possible that the South Korean giant will present several modifications of smartwatches.
As it became known this summer, the Koreans decided to rename their new “smart watch” Samsung Gear S4 to Samsung Galaxy Watch. It was assumed that this was due to a change in platform: instead of the proprietary Tizen OS, it was allegedly planned to use Wear OS on Android based. However, as it turns out, this is purely a matter of name.
According to South Korean media, the Galaxy Watch will run the latest Tizen 4.0 out of the box. In general, it can only be called fresh with a certain stretch, since the fourth version of this OS was presented last year, and it is quite well known to developers.
The main focus of Tizen 4.0 was on voice control and the Internet of Things. The Samsung Galaxy Watch will likely come pre-installed with the proprietary Bixby voice assistant. In general, you need to understand that the Korean giant’s smartwatch is not just a mobile accessory, but a self-sufficient device that is part of the Samsung ecosystem.
However, the software platform is far from the only advantage of the Galaxy Watch. According to insiders, the new smart watches will receive the widest possible range of sensors to monitor the state of the body. Supposedly they will even be able to measure blood pressure.
Some even credited the gadget with the ability to diagnose heart disease and diabetes. However, even for a preliminary diagnosis of such diagnoses, a detailed study using much more accurate equipment is required. So, at best, we can only talk about a recommendation to undergo an examination by a doctor.
Other features of the Samsung Galaxy Watch include a larger 470 mAh battery compared to the Gear S3, compact dimensions thanks to the use of Panel Level Packaging technology, and support for 4G LTE networks. True, the latter will be available only if mobile operator familiar with technology.
Galaxy Watch release date
According to the first version, the presentation of the Galaxy Watch will take place on August 9 simultaneously with the Samsung smartphone Galaxy Note 9, which has the flagship . However, the accessory will go on sale no earlier than August 24, and in some countries the time frame for entering the market may be delayed for a longer period. Pre-order starts on August 16th.
According to the second version, the company will not rush to announce the Samsung Galaxy Watch, which will take place no earlier than August 31 at the IFA 2018 international exhibition in Berlin. In any case, the Koreans will strive to get ahead of Apple, which is planning to release Apple Watch Series 4.
In general, the market situation is now favorable for new “smart watches” from Samsung. Over the past year, the number of offers of this kind of accessories on the market has decreased significantly, while the company in any case can count on the core of its regular audience. The entire “question” is $349.
Model numbers
Not long ago it became known that the new Galaxy Watch is being certified in Russia as “portable wearable minicomputers of the Samsung brand.” Moreover, as many as four models are indicated: SM-R800, SM-R805, SM-R810 and SM-R815. Thus, unlike previous years, the Russian buyer will definitely have a choice.
Samsung smartwatch users at the beginning of 2017 strongly assumed that the release date of the Samsung Gear S4, or as the new name became known, would fall at the event dedicated to the annual IFA consumer electronics show on August 31 in Berlin, Germany.
However, the Korean manufacturer has announced various wearables that include the Fit 2 Pro and Sport, and has retained the S3 as its flagship model. And while these wearables are top-notch and attractive, many are eagerly awaiting the next generation of Gear S.
When will the Samsung Gear S4 smartwatch be released in Russia? What is the presentation date of the device and what will be its price? We offer you an overview of all the information regarding the long-awaited new smart watches from Samsung.
News and rumors
At the beginning of 2017, the company announced its readiness to begin mass production of the Exynos 7 Dual 7270 processor, which will be the most likely candidate to power the next generation of smartwatches. This processor is faster than its predecessor and includes a smaller 4G LTE modem. This shows that the Korean giant still cares about keeping the S line alive and ready for a new batch in 2018.
Peculiarities
It is hoped that Samsung will continue to improve the software running the smartwatch as part of its update. Many agree with the fact that although current smartwatches are quite bulky, they are still stylish and feature-rich. But future software improvements should fix some problems, such as inaccurate GPS tracking or questionable heart rate monitor readings. In parallel with the changes in new version watches, the company should also bring improvements to the Gear S3 software.
Charging from a smartphone?
On December 7, 2016, Samsung filed a patent application for “Wireless charger for Accessories”, which states that “a mobile or wearable device can be charged using an adapter or wireless charging station when battery power is low or insufficient.”
The illustrations offered in the document showed the company's smartwatch positioned above a Galaxy smartphone, which is encased in a special case that serves as a docking station.
According to the patent description, the accessory case includes a magnetic coil that allows you to charge the device wirelessly. As we already know, a patent application does not necessarily lead to actual implementation, but it does confirm that companies are looking to solve big problems like electromagnetic waves and heat.
Voice assistant?
There are prerequisites that the fourth generation S watch may use Samsung's Bixby digital voice assistant, which is found in the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus smartphones.
It's likely that Bixby will take the place of S Voice, as a company representative said that this assistant has been implemented in both the TV and the refrigerator; so why not build it into the watch?
Android Wear?
There are doubts that the South Korean manufacturer will switch to operating Android system Wear from Google, but somehow the upcoming new Gear Watch requires a much larger selection of apps.
And it looks like the company is set to use its own Tizen OS, which recently overtook Android Wear in popularity for the first time, according to a report from Strategy Analytics. During the first quarter of 2017, Tizen had 19% of the overall smartwatch market, compared to Google's platform's 18% (Apple's watchOS held 57% of the market).
So it is obvious that the newcomer to the S series will be equipped with the latest Tizen 3.0 operating system. Let's remember that Tizen 3.0 provided 64-bit compatibility, as well as support for 4K Ultra HD graphics and image and speech recognition, which is great for smartwatches.
What users expect from the new product
The most common question was what the new wearable device would look like. Images of fourth-generation smartwatches appeared on the Internet every now and then. But these were just guesses and assumptions. Let's look at some of them.
Curved Edge screen?
One of the company's patents, provided to Patently Mobile, hints that the watch may have a curved display similar to the Galaxy S7 Edge smartphone. The patent shows a smartwatch with a touch-sensitive strip along the edge of the case. The Gear S3 is known to have a rotating bezel around the watch face, and a patented touch bezel could also become a reality someday.
Flexible display?
The 3Dnews resource published information about a patent that talks about a smartwatch with an optical zoom built into the middle of the dial. The document also highlights the presence of a strap with a screen that holds app shortcuts. This will allow users to use them on the bracelet without having to search through the tiny watch screen.
The Korean giant has been working on flexible and curved screens for a long time, so it is not surprising that the company will extend this idea to a watch strap. However, let's not forget that a patent often does not go beyond the scope of the idea.
Slim form factor?
Currently, many believe that the watch will have a lot in common with its predecessor S3, but in a thinner body thanks to the new processor. Like the S3, you can expect multiple versions with different bands to suit users' needs in both style and function.
Buyers want the S4 on their wrist to be smaller and slimmer, lighter and sleeker. Even if such an opportunity is available in at least one of the models in this line.
Functions
The S4 is expected to come with a 1.5-inch variant for people with larger wrist sizes. Users are also looking forward to an updated sleep monitoring system that will automatically calculate and recommend rest hours based on the number of calories burned and health data.
Health and fitness
It is known that the manufacturer has focused on fitness and sports with its Gear Sport watches and, most likely, this emphasis will be present in the Samsung Gear S4 2018 generation.
In an interview with the American satellite business news channel CNBC at the beginning of 2017, Samsung Mobile CEO DJ Koh said that “if the company can properly develop smartwatches to monitor health and provide the necessary information, then the market will grow.”
These words should correspond with the rebranding of S Health and even the release of new sensors or additional accessories for the wearable device. For example, the S-Patch 3 health patch, which was presented as a concept in January 2016 at CES, and recently appeared on the FCC list, indicating the company's readiness to launch S-Patch 3 to the masses.
Accurate activity tracking
We're already familiar with the Gear S3, which is packed with fitness tracking features including:
- heart rate monitor
- automatic workout recognition
However, according to user reviews, the device suffers from inaccurate data when tracking exercises. Likewise, the GPS function has become unreliable and disappointingly inaccurate. The same goes for the heart rate monitor.
Fans expect to see improvements to all of these features in the next model.
Other applications
One of the disadvantages of using your own operating system Tizen is the lack of available applications, so users are waiting for a counter step from the company to be able to use more applications that work with the watch.
Lower price
The third-generation watch has become one of the most attractive watches, offering a reasonable price, rivaling the Apple Watch 2. There is concern that the successor will be expensive.
Demanding new additional functions along with improvements and bug fixes from previous models, users still want the product to be affordable. And if Samsung wants the watch to fly off the shelves in serious numbers, then a lower price would really help with that.
Battery
Time battery life The Gear S3 is generally quite impressive, but not when using the Always On Display. This is a feature that allows the screen to remain illuminated at all times so you can see the time.
It is very important for users to have a device that is optimized for long-term use. They hope that the new S4 smartwatch will not only be thinner and lighter, but also offer excellent battery life.
Characteristics
Let's list the possible features, functions and specifications in the upcoming smartwatch.
| Display | 1.3/1.5" Infinity Display, Always On Display |
| Case and display protection | IP68: dustproof and waterproof; rotating bezel protection; Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| operating system | Tizen OS for smartwatches |
| CPU | 1.2 GHz Exynos 7 SoC |
| Memory | 1.5 GB random access memory, 4/8 GB storage memory |
| Peculiarities | A-GPS NFC smart alarm clock wireless charger viewing photos file sharing |
| Sensors | message sensors GPS based speedometer gyroscope SpO2 heart rate monitor barometer pedometer altimeter accelerometer |
| Battery | 400mAh Li-ion battery, fast charging |
| Variations | Classic Frontier |
Release date in Russia and price
So far, there is no clear answer to the question of when the wearable device will be released. Following the company's chronology, the last two watches were announced at the end of August before going on sale in November 2017. Most likely, the new product can be expected at the opening of IFA 2018 in late August - early September. It can also be assumed that the presentation of the next flagship will be along with the announcement of the next flagship Samsung smartphone in February 2018.
The approximate price of the Samsung Gear S4 will be around $600.
Update - 2018.06.27
The upcoming announcement of the Gear S4 may be evidenced by the appearance of a Samsung device on the EEC (Eurasian Economic Commission) website in the Regulatory and Reference Information database in the “Unified Register of Notifications on the characteristics of encryption (cryptographic) means and goods containing them.” And this means that the company is preparing its new device for release.
However, there is no detailed information about the gadget, only the name of the product in the form of 4 model brand names: SM-R800, SM-R805, SM-R810 and SM-R815. Probably, all these models in the line will differ in the presence or absence of some components, such as NFC, LTE, or other characteristics: sizes, materials, straps, color, etc.
Interestingly, the code name SM-R800 has previously appeared in a number of rumors from some news publications.
Update - 2018.07.10
New name for Galaxy Watch (Update 07/10/2018)
A reputable blogger under the nickname Ice Universe posted on his Twitter page the latest information about the upcoming Samsung Gear S4 smartwatch. The leaker noted that there is a possibility that the device will be called Galaxy Watch.
The tweet lists a number of characteristics of the new product, including a 470 mAh battery, the device’s ability to measure blood pressure and interact with the user in a new way. It is also noted that the watch will run on Android Wear, when, like all the company’s current wearable gadgets, they use Tizen OS.
Whether the information from Ice Universe will be confirmed remains to be seen.
Another confirmation that the next watch will have this name is the fact that the company registered the “Samsung Galaxy Watch” logo with the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Korea (KIPO) on June 20 this year.
But the document has the status “Pending Examination”, that is, the trademark application has been accepted by the Office (meets the minimum requirements for filing applications) and has not yet been transferred to the experts.
Bixby virtual assistant
According to Sammobile's website, the Gear S4 (Galaxy Watch) will come with Bixby support. This digital assistant has already been used in all flagship smartphones Galaxy, starting with S8, but it hasn’t gotten to wearable devices yet. Owners lucky enough to interact with voice control have been impressed by Bixby's ability to do almost everything with just one touch. It is worth noting that the functions voice assistant Currently not available in Russia.
The source claims that Bixby will indeed be present on Samsung's upcoming smartwatch. However, the innovation should not add an additional button to the device, unlike the company's flagship phones. Essentially, Bixby will replace S Voice as the main virtual assistant on the Gear S4, so it's likely that the home button on the watch will be used to access Bixby. And, of course, you can activate the assistant using the voice command “Hi, Bixby.”
Bixby 2.0 will offer faster response times and will be aimed at "expanding the industry's own ecosystem," Samsung Mobile Division chief DJ Koh said last year.
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16.06.2018
Recently, smart watches have been rapidly gaining popularity, and, according to statistics, today every fourth person wears one. Therefore, leading brands regularly present to the market their new products with wide functionality.Recently, smart watches have been rapidly gaining popularity, and, according to statistics, today every fourth person wears one. Therefore, leading brands regularly present their new products with wide functionality to the market. In our review, we will look at the fourth update of the Gear S model, which is presented annually by Samsung. Its main competitors are such monsters as Apple (Apple), Huawei (Huawei), Garmin, Motorola, ASUS, Microsoft (Microsoft), Sony. But is the line really worth paying attention to?
The S4 smartwatch was presented to the market two months before Apple, and this is very important, because manufacturers compete not only in the technical parameters of their equipment, but also in terms of audience coverage. So far, of course, Apple is in the lead - the number of its fans reaches 14%, while Samsung is chosen by 5% of users.
Model features
Previous versions had quite good characteristics, but in some respects they could not compare with Apple Watch models. The manufacturer tried to take into account all the shortcomings, so the Gear S4 combined the maximum number of flagship solutions and became more sporty.
The company has long planned to combine a smartphone and a fitness bracelet, and according to experts, in this version it managed to do this to the fullest.
The configuration of the Samsung Gear S4 leaves all possible opponents behind. Smart watches are equipped with a huge number of sensors that monitor the physical parameters of their wearer, including heart rate. This and much more, such as determining the level of stress and water in the body, are provided by special sensors. The smartwatch also acquired water and dust protection, in which it caught up with the Apple Watch Series 2, which can be immersed in water up to 50 m. The software was also updated. Samsung has added trainer functions that are more accurate. Now the device accurately detects the start of a workout.
But the most pleasant thing for the user was the reduction in the price of the device.
New design
The manufacturer used an idea that was successfully tested on the Galaxy S7 Edge - and the watch received a rounded body with curved edges. The functions of tracking physical parameters are performed by a touch strap, for the manufacture of which Samsung received a patent.
It will also serve as a customizable control screen - application shortcuts are located here, now access is much easier. As it became known, the smart watch will be equipped with another patented invention – an excellent camera with optical zoom.
According to Samsung Electronics employees, the Gear S4 will be an excellent replacement for all previously released smart watches that have ever been released. But in order to intrigue users, all the features of the device are not revealed. They only focus on the fact that the watch is significantly superior to all earlier models and is equipped with many biometric sensors. Users will have to discover the secrets themselves.
The previous model (Geer S3) from Samsung was presented by the company in the fall of 2016. New items various manufacturers Since then, they have appeared in considerable numbers, but the S3 is still a fairly popular gadget. S4 is promised to be presented in the second half of 2018. By the way, the manufacturer does not promise anything fundamentally new, but the manufacturer has nevertheless made a number of improvements.
A reliable source claims that the fourth generation of watches will be well developed. The new product will be based on the Tizen OS, which will remain almost unchanged, except for some additional functions. So, one of the “buns” will be a built-in fingerprint scanning module, and it will be built into the screen itself. This will be especially convenient if you need to make a payment via electronic Samsung system Pay. In addition, the module will have other functionality - for example, with its help it will be possible to remove the lock from the phone if the latter is connected to S4 with Bluetooth assistance. The information is not 100% reliable, but such a decision would be quite logical.
The size of the device is almost the same as the previous model, but the screen itself will be larger. Samsung installs SuperAMOLED matrices in such screens, which are characterized by increased viewing angles, higher contrast and brightness. The case has an IP68 dust and moisture protection standard - the watch can be submerged in water to a depth of 50 meters.
In addition, the manufacturer will provide the product with a higher-capacity battery, a faster chip, a heart rate sensor and updated electronics that can be useful, say, as a pedometer or altimeter. Samsung also took care of owners of iOS-based gadgets who can connect their phones to the watch.
The new product can be seen at the official IFA exhibition, which will be held in early autumn 2018. Apparently, the watch will be available in two versions - traditional (classic) and sports.
