Samsung Gear S3 Release Date News and Updates: Smartwatch Unveiled at IFA 2016; Specs, Price, Live Stream
Samsung unveiled the Gear S3 smartwatch Wednesday, through an IFA 2016 press conference held in Berlin, Germany. The Samsung Gear S3 is the successor to the S2 which was announced at the IFA 2015.
The IFA is dubbed as the biggest consumer tech trade show in Europe.
Much about the S3 was already known through rumors and leaks, but the full details about the Gear S3 were revealed at the IFA 2016.
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New Look
The Samsung Gear S3 turns out to be a big smart watch. Compared to the S2, the Gear S3 is more stylistic and has more features. In fact, it resembles a luxury sports watch.
For some users, it's probably too big. At 46 mm, it is bigger than the Apple Watch (44mm and 38 mm). The size is basically due to the battery (380 mAh). At the expense of size, the watch has a 30% increase in battery life compared to the previous model. That's 4 days of non-stop use.
Gear S3 specs
The following are the Gear S3 features: 380 mAh battery, Onboard Global Positioning System, Samsung Pay, with support for MST and NFC payment technologies, 1.3-inch Super AMOLED Display, Gorilla Glass with scratch resistance, 1.0 GHz dual-core Exynos 7270 processor, stainless steel casing, optical heart rate, altimeter and barometer, 62 g weight, and more.
Two models are available; the Frontier and the Classic. The Frontier model also has an optional LTE version. If you are the sporty type, then the Frontier model is just for you. The Classic type is more for executives or for use at weddings.
The Samsung Gear S3 Bezel is more empowered than ever before. More apps are integrated into the bezel, including Nest.
Too Big?
The first look at the Samsung Gear S3 offered a variety of both positive and negative reactions, but one common concern is that the smartwatch is probably too big for women, or people with small wrists in general, while it looks okay for men.
With a larger screen and because of the fact that the S3 packs more features than it's predecessor, the payoff is fashion and comfort. Perhaps someday, when technology finds a way to make smaller smart watch components, then these would no longer be an issue.
Gear S3 Price
The Samsung Gear S3 price is still unknown. US prices are yet to be revealed, but U.K. prices are rumored to be set at a recommended retail price of £249.
Release Date
The release date of the Samsung Galaxy S3 is still unknown. It was revealed in August 31, 2016, during the IFA 2016 wearables event which announced the new product at 6 p.m. CET.
The Gear S3's primary rival will be Apple's iWatch and Watch 2. These products will be revealed in early September along with the iPhone 7. Specifically, according to the International Business Times, the Apple watches will be launched in September 7.
