Samsung returns to the smartwatch market by introducing the LTE-powered Galaxy Watch

While Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked 2018 was headlined by the highly anticipated Galaxy Note 9 phablet alongside the Bixby-powered Galaxy Home smart speaker, the event itself marks a big expansion in the firm’s ecosystem. Prioritising “seamless connectivity between all devices,” Samsung has announced its return to the smartwatch market with the brand new Galaxy Watch.

Samsung accidentally confirmed the Galaxy Watch at the end of last month, after a leak saw the 42mm Rose Gold variant briefly appear on the company’s website. This will be priced at $330, offering users the choice between a Midnight Black version and Rose Gold, while a $350 46mm option will launch in Silver. While the listing originally clarified the Galaxy Watch’s Bluetooth functionality, LTE versions will be available a little later in the year.

Despite appearing as a standard everyday watch, Samsung’s new smartwatch utilises low-power architecture to optimise the processor. This allows the battery to last multiple days on just a single charge. The Galaxy Watch will also be launching with a new accessory, allowing Samsung users to charge both their smartphone and smartwatch at the same time.

“Work, life and health” are the main focuses of Samsung’s new effort, implementing a heart rate monitor underneath the Gorilla Glass DX+ encased watch face. This will pair up with Samsung’s proprietary health applications in order to track sleep, workouts, food and water. The data comes with suggestions of how the user could better their health, such as breathing exercises when heart rate is elevated.

Of course, as a smartwatch it still comes with productivity functions. Samsung’s daily briefing feature syncs to the user’s calendar, displaying what is next on the agenda right on the home screen. This is customisable to the user’s tastes, with the South Korean firm offering over 60,000 watch faces and a selection of bands.

Fans can pre-purchase the Galaxy Watch directly from Samsung’s website starting tomorrow, with the smartwatch hitting shelves on August 24th.

KitGuru Says: Previous entries have either focused on productivity or health, so it’s good to see Samsung return to form by blending the two. Although it’s slightly on the expensive end of things, I can’t say I’m not tempted. Do you like the look of the Galaxy Watch?

Become a Patron!