Samsung Galaxy Gear
| Industry | Consumer electronics |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 13, 1969 |
| Headquarters | Suwon , South Korea |
| Products | Smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, consumer electronics |
| Website | www |
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The Samsung Galaxy Gear is a smartwatch developed by Samsung Electronics as part of the Samsung Gear lineup. It was introduced at the Samsung Unpacked event held in Berlin, Germany on September 4, 2013, designed to function alongside all compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets running Android 4.3 "Jelly Bean" or later versions. The device officially launched on September 25, 2013. Initially operating on an Android-based platform, the Galaxy Gear transitioned to the Tizen operating system following a software update released in May 2014.
Its follow-up model, the Gear 2, became available on April 11, 2014.
Development
The Galaxy Gear was developed amid increasing interest in the smartwatch sector. Samsung's key rival, Apple, was rumored to be preparing its own watch product, while the Kickstarter-funded Pebble, which reached widespread availability in July 2013, is often credited with popularizing smartwatches among consumers. Lee Young-hee, vice president of Samsung's mobile division, disclosed in July 2013 that Samsung had been working on a smartwatch for an extended period and described it as a "product for the future". In August 2013, reports from Bloomberg cited sources familiar with Samsung’s plans indicating that the company intended to reveal a smartwatch named 'Galaxy Gear' during a Samsung Unpacked event scheduled for September 4, 2013—just ahead of the IFA consumer electronics trade show in Berlin. This event was also expected to showcase the launch of the new Galaxy Note 3 phablet.
In an interview published by The Korea Times on August 27, 2013, Lee Young-hee emphasized that the Galaxy Gear would significantly improve and expand the existing smart mobile experience, pioneer a new direction in smart mobile communications, and provide substantial momentum to the mobile industry as a whole.
Release
Samsung introduced the Galaxy Gear on September 4, 2013, with an official launch planned for September 25, 2013; however, availability in the United States and Japan was postponed until October. Certain wireless carriers offered the Galaxy Gear bundled with the Galaxy Note 3 as part of promotional packages.
To support the Galaxy Gear's introduction, Samsung produced two television commercials titled "Evolution" and "A Long Time Coming." These advertisements highlighted iconic representations of smartwatch concepts from popular media such as Dick Tracy, Star Trek, The Jetsons, Predator, and Inspector Gadget, concluding with the slogan "After all these years, it's finally real."
Prior to its official reveal in Berlin on September 4, 2013, an exclusive leak of the Galaxy Gear's design was provided to VentureBeat journalist Christina Farr by an anonymous source, sparking significant international attention.
Hardware
The Galaxy Gear operates on a dual-core 1.6 GHz Exynos 4212 system-on-chip, which is downclocked to a single 800 MHz core to extend battery life. It features a square-shaped Super AMOLED touchscreen display with a resolution of 320 pixels and a pixel density of 277 ppi. Integrated into the watch band is a 1.9-megapixel camera equipped with a back-illuminated sensor, autofocus capabilities, and video recording at 720p. Additionally, the device houses a speaker and dual noise-cancelling microphones. Internal storage amounts to 4 GB, paired with 512 MB of RAM. The hardware also includes an accelerometer and a gyroscope. Powering the device is a 315 mAh battery; since the watch lacks a dedicated charging port, it must be charged via a specialized Micro USB charging cradle that contains an NFC tag used during initial device setup. The Galaxy Gear meets IP55 standards for dust protection and resistance against brief exposure to water jets.
For connectivity with companion devices, the Galaxy Gear utilizes Bluetooth Low Energy. As native Bluetooth LE support is only available from Android version 4.3 onward, initial compatibility was limited to Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition — both shipped with Android 4.3. Following the Galaxy Gear’s release, Samsung began distributing Android 4.3 updates to other recent models including the Galaxy S III, S4, and Note II, enabling those devices to work seamlessly with the smartwatch.
Software
The Galaxy Gear operates on either an Android or Tizen-based platform featuring a streamlined interface with gesture-driven navigation. To link the watch to a smartphone or tablet serving as its companion device, users must initially download the Gear Manager application. This app is accessed via an NFC tag embedded within the charging case. Bluetooth technology facilitates the pairing and ongoing communication between the Gear and the host device through Gear Manager. Additionally, this application allows users to customize settings such as the clock display’s color and style, as well as to manage and install applications available through Samsung Apps.
Notifications received on the paired device can be mirrored on the Gear’s display, providing a preview directly on the watch. The Smart Relay function enables users to open notifications shown on the Gear on their smartphone or tablet for further interaction. Basic voice commands and dictation for select applications are supported through S Voice. Users can make and receive phone calls via the watch by swiping up from the clock face to access the dialer. Moreover, the "Find My Device" feature helps locate the watch using a phone or tablet, and vice versa.
The built-in camera application permits capturing photos or recording videos up to 15 seconds long. These media files can be saved internally on the watch or instantly transferred to the connected smartphone or tablet. Voice memos can be recorded for durations up to five minutes. A media controller is also included, allowing users to control music or video playback happening on their paired devices.
Although it is feasible to sideload additional Android applications onto the Galaxy Gear using Android Debug Bridge (ADB), practical use is limited due to the device’s small display and lack of direct Internet connectivity.
On May 30, 2014, Samsung issued a version 2.2 firmware update for the Galaxy Gear via its Kies desktop software. This update replaced the Android-based operating system with a Tizen OS similar to that of its successor, the Samsung Gear 2. The upgrade brought enhancements including better performance, extended battery life, voice-activated camera functionality, and an independent music player capable of playing audio files stored locally on the device.
Reception
The Galaxy Gear was met with predominantly unfavorable reviews from industry experts. While the overall build quality of the Gear was acknowledged as premium, its design—specifically the integration of hardware components within the wristband—was criticized for reducing flexibility, which compromised wearer comfort. Additionally, the smartwatch faced scrutiny due to its limited app capabilities and an initially inconsistent approach to notifications. For instance, reviewers noted that the Android IMAP/POP3 email client could present full notifications including message previews on the Galaxy Gear, whereas Gmail merely showed an icon and prompted users to check their phones for the full content.[1][2] These notification shortcomings were partly resolved through the first firmware update for the Galaxy Gear, enabling all applications to show notifications with message previews directly on the device.[3]
Regarding software performance, The Verge commented that "similar to its industrial design, Samsung's software development falls short, resulting in a frustrating blend of instability and insufficiency on the Gear." The feature allowing users to answer calls via the watch was commended for its practicality and clear audio quality, drawing playful comparisons to Dick Tracy. Moreover, the built-in camera received positive remarks for delivering surprisingly good image quality relative to its megapixel rating.[1][2] Criticism was also directed at the device’s dependence on select Samsung Galaxy smartphones running specific Android versions, coupled with battery life that was more akin to a smartphone’s than a traditional watch’s.[4][5]Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In a September 2013 infographic, TUAW contrasted the Galaxy Gear with the sixth-generation iPod Nano, which had gained popularity as a watch due to unofficial bands designed for its similarly compact square shape.[6]</ref> The comparison favored the three-year-old MP3 player, labeling it a "superior and more affordable [smart]watch" than Samsung’s offering because it operated independently of any "host" smartphone or tablet and included a broader range of functions—most notably its primary ability to store and play music directly from the device.[7]</ref>
Sales
The Galaxy Gear experienced disappointing commercial performance; by late October 2013, reports indicated that at least 30% of the Galaxy Gear units sold through the U.S. retailer Best Buy were returned due to customer dissatisfaction.[8] In November 2013, Reuters cited internal company sources claiming global sales of 800,000 Galaxy Gear devices; however, the Korean news outlet Yonhap challenged this figure, suggesting that it represented units shipped rather than actual sales.[9]
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