Samsung announces the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, Tizen-powered smartwatches

[Justin Herrick]

That was quick. Right after the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo leaked this morning (and tonight), Samsung has made both smartwatches official in Barcelona. While they look strikingly similar to the original Galaxy Gear, there have been some changes inside and out. But the biggest change is that Android is no longer under the hood. Samsung’s very own Tizen is. What does this mean for device compatibility? Well, Samsung says that it will work with various Galaxy devices right away. Despite not running Android, Samsung has announced CNN, Weather Channel, and Garmin among others have created an app for their Tizen-powered smartwatches. A dual-core processor clocked at 1GHz is running the show here.

What’s the difference between the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo? The latter will not have a camera and the weight of the smartwatch will be lighter than its camera-featured sibling. With typical use, both smartwatches should get 2-3 days on a full battery. Light use will net around 6 days. The Gear 2 will be available in Charcoal Black, Gold Brown and Wild Orange and the Gear 2 Neo has Charcoal Black, Mocha Grey and Wild Orange color options. As of now, pricing is still unannounced for both devices.

Hit the break for the official press release.

Samsung Offers Unmatched Freedom and Style with the Next Generation of Gear devices
February 23, 2014
The stylish Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo offer consumers increased connectivity, customization, and control
Barcelona, Spain – February 23, 2014 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today introduced the Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo designed to take the freedom, convenience and style of wearable technology to the next level. The Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo offer consumers enhanced connectivity and a completely integrated approach for the most personal wearable experience.
“Samsung continues to lead innovation in the wearable market by creating devices that are completely integrated into the lives of consumers through extended connectivity features, stylish customization options and a robust application ecosystem,” Said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics. “With the Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, we have enhanced everything consumers love about the Gear to offer unparalleled smart freedom in their everyday life.”
The next generation of mobile freedom
Samsung achieved a significant improvement as a leading smart wearable provider with Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo. Both devices offer a lightweight design with premium finishes that reflect modern trends.
A Camera is equipped to a main body instead to strap, making the Samsung Gear 2 a sleek and sharp smart companion. Consumers are now available to express their mood or coordinate with their outfit with modern and sophisticated strap color options including Charcoal Black, Gold Brown and Wild Orange for Gear2 and Charcoal Black, Mocha Grey and Wild Orange for Gear2 Neo. The home screen background, clock face and font are also customizable to reflect their personal taste.
The Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo are essential companion devices, allow users to accept or ignore incoming calls and messages, and providing instant notification options based on a user’s activity and habits.
Both devices act as an extension of a consumer’s daily life, offering users more control of their lives with standalone features, such as controlling electronic products such as TV, settop box through WatchON Remote application in their own home with an embedded IrLED sensor. The addition of a standalone music player with Bluetooth headset means people can leave their smartphone at home and still enjoy their music on the go.
Both devices also offer personal fitness coaching in real time, allowing users to develop a customizable fitness routine and monitor their heart rate in order to improve their overall well-being.
Finally, the Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo let users connect to a wide variety of Samsung devices and access an enriched application ecosystem as the first wearable powered by Tizen based wearable platform. Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo are compatible with more than dozens of Samsung Galaxy smartphones at launch.
Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo will be available around the world starting from April. Full details and product images are available at www.samsungmobilepress.com or m.samsungmobilepress.com.
Samsung Gear 2 Product Specifications:

Display​

1.63” Super AMOLED (320 x 320)

AP​

1.0 GHz Dual Core Processor

OS​

Tizen based wearable platform

Camera​

Gear 2 : 2.0 Megapixel Auto Focus (1920×1080, 1080×1080, 1280×960)​

Gear 2 Neo : N/A​

Video​

Codec: H.264, H.263Format: 3GP, MP4HD(720p, @30fps) Playback & Recording

Audio​

Codec: MP3/AAC/AMR/VorbisFormat: MP3, M4A, AAC, OGG

Camera​

Features​

Auto Focus Camera, Sound & Shot, Location Tags, Signature

Additional​

Features​

Fitness Features:
1.Heart Rate sensor
2.Pedometer
3.Exercise
Standalone Modes: Running, Walking
Companion Modes: Cycling, Hiking
4.Sleep & Stress (Downloadable)

Music Player with Bluetooth® Headset and Speaker​

WatchON Remote: Remote Controller via IrLED Sensor​

Basic Features:
- Bluetooth Call, Camera, Notification(SMS, E-mail, Apps)
Media Controller, Schedule, Smart Relay, S Voice, Stopwatch, Timer, Weather​

More Features(Downloadable):
- Calculator, ChatON, Flashlight, Quick Settings, Voice Memo​

Changeable Strap
Color Options:
- Gear 2 : Charcoal Black, Gold Brown and Wild Orange
- Gear 2 Neo : Charcoal Black, Mocha Grey and Wild Orange​

IP67 Certified Dust and Water Resistant, Noise Cancellation​

Samsung Services Samsung Apps

Connectivity​

Bluetooth® v4.0 LE, IrLED​

Sensor​

Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Heart Rate ​

Memory​

RAM: 512MB ​

Storage: 4GB Internal Memory​

Dimension​

Gear 2 : 36.9 x 58.4x 10.0 mm, 68g
Gear 2 Neo : 37.9 x 58.8 x 10.0mm, 55g

Battery​

Standard Battery, Li-ion 300mAh​

Typical Usage 2~3 days, Low Usage up to 6 days​

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