The next Samsung smartwatch might not be a single model, but three, according to a new report.
SamMobilereports Samsung's Gear S3, which is expected to be announced at IFA next month, might come in three versions: Classic, Frontier and Explorer.
The names Frontier and Explorer could hint at a more active-focused lifestyle or ruggedized design. A separate report from the Samsung fan blog claims the Gear S3 will have a built-in integrated GPS, an altimeter, barometer and speedometer.
The Gear S3 will likely stick with its round display and rotatable bezel, which is used for navigating around the Tizen operating system.
The Gear S3 might have a built-in integrated GPS.
Furthermore, the report claims the Gear S3 Explorer model will come with three buttons located on the two, four and 10 hour marks. If we were to guess, we'd say these buttons might be used for stopwatch functionality or perhaps as programmable shortcut buttons to launch apps.
Perhaps, the buttons could work like the Galaxy S7 Active's "Active" key, which can be used to launch an programmed app, or send out an emergency message.
All should be revealed soon enough. Mashable will be reporting live from from IFA.
Though smartwatch interest has flagged lately, a new study predicts a bright future for wearable devices in the U.S.
As reported by ZDNet, research firm Forrester recently released “Wearables Forecast: 2016 to 2020” which included a bullish take on the technology’s growth.
Among its findings Forrester anticipates that one in three Americans will be sporting a wearable device by 2021. This represents a steady rise in consumer adoption from 18% in 2015 to 29% in 2021.
The report said that this growth translates into an increase in revenues from $4.2 billion to $9.8 billion over the same period.
Forrester said sales will be driven by device volume and a more diverse mix of pricier wearables that include glasses, apparel and smartwatches.
The report added that wearables have the advantage of generating various types of data from consumers that businesses can harness. And if businesses focus on creating a strategy that focuses on capitalizing on “micro moments” rather than on the wearable gadgets themselves, they can develop new avenues for engaging with customers.
“While wearables are just one touchpoint in the vast connected products ecosystem, they will influence consumer engagement strategies and an increasing number of mobile moments,” said the report.
The report found that most wearable owners currently have a health or fitness device, representing 17% of all wearables.
However, other types of wearables are expected to increase in popularity over the next five years. Such wearables include devices focusing on these functions: notifications (6% of current wearables owned); retail (also 6%); travel (5%); and monitoring (4%).
Smartwatches still seen driver of growth in devices
Forrester also said that it expected that by 2021 more than one third of the 46 million wearable devices sold will consist of smartwatches. Driving this growth is higher consumer adoption of wellness applications, notifications, voice and mobile payments.
However, the report found that despite the strong prospects for wearable devices, only 11% of companies surveyed currently follow a wearables strategy. And more concerning is the finding that 34% of businesses don’t presently have a wearables strategy and don’t plan to implement one in the future.
This follows news from IDC that smartwatch shipments tumbled 32% in the second quarter compared to the same period last year.
The report claims that Apple Watch sales fell to 1.6 million in the second quarter of 2016, a 55% fall from the 3.6 million sales recorded in the same quarter last year.
If you're in the market for a new smartwatch, you might want to put your wallet away and wait just a little longer.
Samsung is reportedly planning to announce the Gear S3, the successor to the Gear S2 and Gear S2 Classic the company launched last year.
According SamMobile, the Gear S3 will retain the Gear S2's round display and rotating bezel. The watch itself will likely receive a design revamp, although it may simply be slimmer and more streamlined.
Not that there would be anything wrong with that. The Gear S2, as Mashable chief correspondent Lance Ulanoff said in his review, is the best round smartwatch on the market and possibly the best non-Apple Watch smartwatch available.
The Tizen-powered smartwatch is comfortable and the rotating bezel makes navigation a breeze.
Samsung is set to announce its next flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note 7, at its Unpacked event on Aug. 2.
Last year, the company teased the Gear S2 at the Note 5/S6 Edge+ Unpacked launch event and then formally unveiled it a few weeks later at IFA.
It's very possible Samsung will go with the same approach. IFA begins on Sept. 2 and runs through Sept. 7.
Mashable will be reporting live from the Unpacked event and IFA. We'll know soon enough what's what with the new Gear S3.
Apple's design philosophy is simple: Launch a beautiful product and then refine, refine, refine with every model after.
The Apple Watch is over a year old and rumors about what Apple will do to improve it on a second-generation model are sparse.
Still, the latest comes from DigiTimes, which has a rocky track record when it comes to leaking new information on unreleased Apple devices.
Citing Apple supplier TPK Holding, DigiTimes claims Apple will use thinner "One Glass Solution" OLED displays that could potentially help reduce the thickness of the Apple Watch 2.
If Apple doesn't put the Apple Watch 2 on a diet, though, the company could also use the saved space to include a larger battery or other components.
It's been previously rumored that the Apple Watch would gain standalone LTE cellular connectivity and maybe a built-in GPS, but there haven't been any firmer reports to give those reports any weight.
It's unclear when Apple plans to launch the Apple Watch 2. Early word suggests a release this fall, possibly alongside the release of watchOS 3, which was announced at Worldwide Developers Conference.
WatchOS 3 will give existing Apple Watches a huge speed boost and put apps front and center like they should have been at launch.
The Apple Watch is flopping big time, according to the latest report from market research and analysis firm IDC.
The firm's latest findings indicate Apple Watch sales were down 55 percent in Q2 of this year compared to the same period last year, when the smartwatch launched.
Meanwhile, smartwatch sales from competing companies like Samsung and Lenovo grew by 51 percent and 75 percent, respectively, during the same Q2 2015 to Q2 2016 year period.
Though the report paints a dire picture for the Apple Watch, Apple still owns the lion's share of the smartwatch market, with 47 percent. Samsung is in second place with 16 percent and Lenovo in third place with 9 percent market share.
The steep sales drop suggests the Apple Watch has not become the must-have product Apple made it out to be.
The hardware itself is beautiful, but anyone who's used one (I've been wearing an Apple Watch for a year now) will tell you it's expensive and slow. Really damn slow.
In March, Apple took the first step toward making the Apple Watch more popular by dropping the starting price of the 38mm model from $349 to $299.
This fall, Apple will address the second frustration with watchOS 3, a new version of the Apple Watch's software. WatchOS 3 rethinks most of the device's shortcomings. It dramatically speeds up apps with a new quick-launch dock, adds Control Center for toggling settings just like on the iPhone and features smart replies. New features also include Scribble, which lets you write out words, and better watch faces that show more useful data from apps.
We're still in the very early days of the Apple Watch and the smartwatch market as a whole
Though Samsung effectively kicked off the modern smartwatch industry in 2013 with its Galaxy Gearsmartwatch, the company has only found real success with the Gear S2, which it released last year.
Lenovo's Moto 360 also isn't too shabby, but there's more that can be done to make Android Wear work better on the wrist. Android 2.0, which launches this fall, will bring many improvements to Google's smartwatch platform.
A second-generation Apple Watch would also help boost sales. The Apple Watch 2 is rumored to be launching this fall with a faster processor and, possibly, built-in cellular capabilities to make it a more capable standalone device that's less reliant on an iPhone connection.
IDC expects the market to "return to growth in 2017". "Continued platform development, cellular connectivity, and an increasing number of applications all point to a smartwatch market that will be constantly changing," wrote Ramon T. Llamas, IDC's wearables team research manager. "These will appeal to a broader market, ultimately leading to a growing market."
Last year, when Pebble announced its Time smartwatch lineup, the company showed off straps with built-in accessories that could interact with the watch body.
"Smart Straps," the company called them, were theoretically capable of adding GPS, extra battery life and lasers for teasing your cat to the standard Pebble Time watch.
Smart Straps interface with the watch using a combination of a companion app and the magnetic charging port on the back of the watch.
Despite the company touting all of the potential just waiting to be unlocked by Smart Straps, we’ve yet to see any meaningful products emerge.
Smart Straps are real after all
Pal, which successfully funded a Kickstarter campaign, hopes to be one such meaningful product for Pebble users.
The Pal Strap has raised $124,161 on the promise of delivering a smart strap that adds GPS tracking and extended battery life to the Pebble Time lineup.
From what I can gather after using a pre-production unit, Pal seems like it will deliver on that promise — if you can get over its size, that is.
To use Pal, you’ll need to disconnect your current watch band from Pebble and snap the watch body into the Pal Strap. There aren’t any pins or convoluted attachment tools needed. Just snap it into place.
Despite using hardware that’s yet to be finalized, I didn’t have any concern about my Pebble Time falling out; Pal held it firmly in place.
Make room for GPS and a battery boost
The final shipping version should look and feel better.
IMAGE: JASON CIPRIANI/MASHABLE
The GPS antenna is housed just below the watch, while the external battery is located on the bottom of the strap. You can charge Pal and your Pebble watch using the standard magnetic charger.
It’s easy to see in photos just how big Pal Strap makes the standard Pebble Time watch. In order to make room for the GPS antenna, the housing now extends down over the curve of my wrist. While the top of the new housing doesn’t protrude nearly as far, the added size could be problematic for those with smaller wrists.
Adding to the overall size is the battery that’s tucked into the bottom of the strap. The battery compartment has a slight curve to it, meant to match the natural curve of your wrist.
The external battery.
IMAGE: JASON CIPRIANI/MASHABLE
That’s not to say that Pal is uncomfortable to wear, and with design refinements already evident in mockups for the Pebble Time 2 version the strap is sure to feel better when it begins shipping. Still, the added bulk will be too much for some.
I struggled with putting the band on my own wrist, often requiring help from my wife to ensure it was firmly connected. In its current form, a traditional watch buckle is connected to the battery on the bottom of the strap. Because of this, you need to make adjustments to how tight or loose the band is before you put it on.
On a couple of occasions, I thought I had the strap properly connected only to have it disconnect awhile later. Thankfully I was able to catch my watch before it hit the ground.
I suspect this is an issue the company has already fixed, based on a look at the latest mockups, which show a completely different mechanism on the battery compartment. The model I was sent looks as if the company took a clasp from a watch and repurposed it just to make a working model.
An app to go with a strap
Using the app.
IMAGE: PAL
Through a beta version of the Pal app on my watch, I was able to start and stop GPS tracking and control charging of my watch using the strap.
To start a GPS tracking session, you select one of three different categories and wait for the antenna to acquire a signal. Right now, that process takes up to a minute of holding your wrist just in order to point the antenna towards the sky. Once a GPS connection is established, Pal will track your run, bike ride, or walk.
Pal is working with Qualcomm, the manufacturer of the GPS chip used in the strap, to speed up the connection. Hopefully it’s something the company can figure out, as the current process takes longer than users are going to want to wait. I know I got tired of waiting.
IMAGE: JASON CIPRIANI/MASHABLE
This is the same app you use to turn the battery on or off, should your Pebble Time need a quick charge. Pal estimates the final product will pack enough juice to power your Pebble Time for another seven days.
When Pal begins shipping later this year, the company will also have a companion app for iOS and Android users. Through the app, users can view workout details such as distance and time, along with GPS routes on a map.
When I tested the GPS capabilities, I was only able to see the location indicators show up within the app — I was unable to check how accurately the strap tracked my movements due to the phone app not being available for testing.
Shipping later this year
IMAGE: JASON CIPRIANI/MASHABLE
Pal expects to begin shipping to Time backers in October, with the Pebble Time Round version shipping in December. Pebble Time 2 backers will have to wait until Feb. 2017.
Pledges currently begin at $79 for a Pal compatible with Pebble Time.
The biggest problem Pal will need to overcome is justifying the purchase of a Smart Strap by Pebble users. I couldn’t see myself using Pal as my main watch band — it’s too big. Instead, I see myself relying on it only for tracking workouts or to quickly top off my watch’s battery much in the same way I use a battery case for my phone.
Then there’s Pebble Core, the newest gadget from the company that’s entire purpose is to provide GPS tracking and music streaming to Pebble users.
For those who don’t mind the bigger footprint introduced by the Pal Strap, and are itching to gain GPS and extended battery for the Pebble Time Pal, it may be exactly what you’re looking for.
Pal Strap
The Good
Adds GPS!
The Bad
It's big • Getting GPS signal takes too long • Cumbersome installation
The Bottom Line
Pal Strap adds GPS and battery life to your Pebble smartwatch, but at the price of adding bulk.
Google just showed off the biggest update yet to its smartwatch platform.
Android Wear 2.0, previewed during the company's I/O developer conference, adds standalone apps, more customizable watch faces and new ways of inputting text. Though the update won't be widely available for some time, it's already clear it will be its most important to date.
One of the most immediately noticeable changes is the new darker color scheme, which is present throughout the user interface — the redesigned notifications, settings shade and app launcher all take advantage of the darker theme, which makes the whole watch look much sleeker. (It also helps reduce that glaring blue light many watches emit in dark rooms .)
Speaking of the app launcher, the new one is a huge improvement. Rather than tapping through a list of the apps, the new launcher uses a scrolling interface that is much simpler and makes better use of round watch faces.
Using the third-party watch apps themselves is also a much better experience, and the most significant change in Android Wear 2.0. With the update, Google is untethering watch apps from the smartphone with the addition of standalone apps.
This means that watch apps can run independently of your smartphone, even if you don't have a watch with a Wi-Fi or cellular connection. This is particularly significant for iPhone users because it will actually allow them to use third-party apps on Android Wear watches — making Android Wear more of a viable alternative to the Apple Watch. (Previously, Android Wear devices were pretty limited due to lack of third-party app support.)
Strava's standalone Android Wear app.
IMAGE: MASHABLE/RILL CAUSEY
"We’ll have a way for people to get apps from the cloud to to their watches so the phone is basically no longer part of the picture," Android Wear product manager Jeff Chang, tellsMashable. "The great thing about that is if you’re an iPhone user you can still get those third-party apps running on your watch."
The watch faces themselves are also getting more useful. Google is improving complications — the small widgets that appear on the watch face and surface information from apps — so that that any watch face can be customized with complications, regardless of the watch face design.
IMAGE: RILL CAUSEY/MASHABLE
Likewise, any app can work as a watch face complication and users will be able to launch apps right from their watch face.
Messaging from the watch will also see some improvements, as people no longer need to rely on canned replies or voice dictation alone. A new QWERTY keyboard that uses swipe-based gestures allows you to input several words at once. While keyboards on tiny displays usually seems like a bad idea, Chang says the keyboard can enable typing at "tens of words" a minute, when using gestures and autocomplete.
The new QWERTY keyboard in Android Wear.
IMAGE: RILL CAUSEY/MASHABLE
If the keyboard proves too clunky (and there's a good chance it will), there's also a new handwriting recognition feature, which allows you to trace a few words at a time onto the screen, which it translates to text. The feature will also recognize hand-drawn emoji.
Our full review will have to wait until Android Wear 2.0 is available to everyone later this year, but the updates we've seen so far are incredibly promising.
Better watch face customization and standalone apps are extremely welcome additions and — perhaps most significantly — make the platform worth a second look from iPhone users who want more smartwatch options.
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