Samsung Unveils New Gear S3 Smart Watch With GPS and LTE [Update: Will Support iPhone]

[Rafterman]

I have a question for you: how is the app support for the watch while using iOS? Can you get nearly as many apps as you can using watchOS with iOS?

And no, this isn't a troll question, I'm just curious to know

Most of the features work in iOS, though its still beta. All the notifications work and the watch apps can sync with the corresponding iOS apps, like mail and calendar. I think some of the Samsung only features, like Samsung/Android pay wont work, nor does Apple Pay.

In watch specific apps, Apple still has tons more, whereas Tizen isn't exactly the first choice for developers to use. But there are a decent variety, though Im not too much into the watch-secific apps, I am mainly concerned with syncing the most common ones, like news, mail, calendar, etc.

 

[rjohnstone]

I've been using the S2 with an iPhone for several months and it's pretty impressive.
Apps are slowly showing up for Tizen OS, but still far behind Apple and Android Wear offerings.
Then again, I only use it for reading texts, notifications, and fitness tracking.

 

[tkukoc]

Have to start wondering when Apple is going to start gathering their troops and come up with something revolutionary again.. because they are allowing 3rd parties to catch up and in some ways surpass them.

 

[Rafterman]

Screen always on, LTE, AND 4 days battery ?? Hard to believe... But if true, it certainly blows the Apple Watch out of the water. Not sure about Tizen OS though ...

The LTE only turns on when the watch is disconnect from the phone. When LTE is running on the S2, it will run 2-6 hours, depending on what else you have turned on (WiFI, GPS, NFC, etc). I don't know what the S3's bigger battery does.

 

[iCuria]

Ok... Guess they were able to copy a real watch. Good it's not Android. If it works with my apple devices maybe I consider testing it. At least it's not ugly as the Apple watch.

 

[spinedoc77]

If it was a tad smaller it would be amazing. I like it. If I had an Android phone I'd contemplate getting it. The aesthetics is far better than the Apple Watch.

Yeah, that's why I liked the S2, it was smaller than most other smartwatches out there, thinner also. I'm not sure yet if I'll like the S3, guess I have to try it on. I do hope that it remains thin though. That's one thing I think uglifies a smartwatch VERY quickly, all the ones out now are just really thick. Add the thickness and the arms of the watch just sticking up instead of contouring around the wrist. I'm also sick and tired of having the same old hundred year technology to attach the strap to. Although Apple's watch is fugly I am highly jealous of the quick detach strap, so you can change straps at will. Why is no one else making something similar?

 

[OllyW]

it is way too big, sadly.
but i like the way it looks in the video.
less so in real life.

That's way too big for a wrist that size as the lugs are overhanging.

 

[cube]

My TV is Tizen, but I never tried anything besides Netflix and Youtube.

 

[BlueMoon63]

Exactly what I thought, they look good but 46mm is too big.

On the other hand, it's relatively petite when compared to the new 51mm Garmin Fenix Chronos.

I think it looks really good and 46mm isn't so bad. It's the depth that would be a concern for most people. If it doesn't fit under dress shirts or sticks way up under long sleeve shirts - it is more like Fenix and more of a fitness device wanting to be an every day device. To me it makes Apple look weak and I love my Apple Watch. Too big will make it a weak seller.

 

[Flow39]

Just from watching some hands-on videos, this thing is way too chunky, holy cow! It's pretty thick and definitely, I would think, too big for most people.

 

[Dave00]

It's a tradeoff between size and function. With the Samsung, you get LTE, longer battery life. But compare the sizes:
Apple Watch 38mm: 38.6x33x10.5mm, 25g (Sport), 40g (Watch)
Apple Watch 42mm: 42x35.9x10.5mm, 30g (Sport), 50g (Watch)
Samsung S3 Classic: 49x46x12.9mm, 57g
Samsung S3 Frontier: 49x46x12.9mm, 62g
The Frontier is more than twice as heavy as the 42mm Apple Watch Sport.

 

[apolloa]

Dead before it enters the shops, it runs Tizen! If it had Android Wear it would be useful.

 

[Vanilla35]

Looks like Samsung decided to copy someone other than Apple this time around.
It reminds me alot like the Garmin Fenix 3.

Lol it's a watch. It's either Square or Circular. By your statement anyone who creates that shape is copying someone else.

 

[ZZ9pluralZalpha]

UP TO four days of battery life. Which probably means when in the equivalent of Apple Watch's "I tell the time" Power Reserve mode.

 

[Mac 128]

Exactly what I thought, they look good but 46mm is too big.

On the other hand, it's relatively petite when compared to the new 51mm Garmin Fenix Chronos.

46mm is too big for you, not too big for the current watch market, particularly men's watches.

it is way too big, sadly.
but i like the way it looks in the video.
less so in real life.

Too big for you.

That's way too big for a wrist that size as the lugs are overhanging.

Again, totally a subjective opinion on your part. Large oversized watches are in right now, and many men like larger watches.

 

[spinedoc77]

it is way too big, sadly.
but i like the way it looks in the video.
less so in real life.

That's a S3? Yeah it looks huge, even though that guy has girlie wrists (or maybe it is a girl), it still looks big. You can see also my previous point about how the arms make it look much worse, they just kind of stick up and out and don't follow the wrist contours at all. I think the first Moto watch was the best, it didn't have arms at all.

I'm also bummed they di dn't put any markings on the dial of the silver one, which is supposed to be classier. It just looks too plain, the frontier is the nicer one, but I wish they had the frontier in SS.

 

[jimbobb24]

I think LTE on a watch is stupid but everything else looks great. Thank you free market for creating an environment where companies make awesome products to entice me to purchase. We will need to see real life battery reviews as well. Apple - can you catch that? Oh yeah the always in is also awesome.

 

[routine_analyst]

Hopefully this will push competition and innovation. I don't know about the bezel as a fial. It seems if I turn it more than a 1/4 turn, my fingers will block the screen.

You're turning it wrong.

 

[Flow39]

Have to start wondering when Apple is going to start gathering their troops and come up with something revolutionary again.. because they are allowing 3rd parties to catch up and in some ways surpass them.

The Apple Watch smokes the competition in nearly every category, and I can say this while being 100% serious. I have used Android Wear, Pebble OS, and watchOS extensively within the last year and watchOS is the most refined, consistent, and has the best app support and ecosystem of all the platforms. Android Wear is very beta feeling, with lots of stuttering and lag couples with random rebooting. The Pebble is very good (a very close second to the Apple Watch) but is nowhere near as feature rich as the Apple Watch.

Once watchOS 3 comes out, I don't think any other watch will be able to compare in terms of speed, reliability, or refinement. I'd say watchOS 3 is pretty revolutionary

 

[OllyW]

The Frontier is more than twice as heavy as the 42mm Apple Watch Sport.

It's physically quite big but still not that heavy, especially when compared with a traditional automatic watch.

 

[ike1707]

Looks promising, unless you have small wrists. Then straight outta luck.

Where's Luck? Is it near Compton?

 

[citysnaps]

That sucker's massive.

I suppose it looks ok, provided you throw the concept of good taste out the window.

 

[2ilent8cho]

I'm a 6ft 3 Male, with big hands and i have the 38MM Apple Watch because i think the 42MM looks stupidly big. At 46MM will it be classed as a weapon?

 

[BlueMoon63]

It's a tradeoff between size and function. With the Samsung, you get LTE, longer battery life. But compare the sizes:
Apple Watch 38mm: 38.6x33x10.5mm, 25g (Sport), 40g (Watch)
Apple Watch 42mm: 42x35.9x10.5mm, 30g (Sport), 50g (Watch)
Samsung S3 Classic: 49x46x12.9mm, 57g
Samsung S3 Frontier: 49x46x12.9mm, 62g
The Frontier is more than twice as heavy as the 42mm Apple Watch Sport.

Wow - didn't know it was the big. Essentially eliminates one gender almost completely and maybe 75% of the other.

If only Apple could make their smaller form factor to have these features. Unfortunately, you can add all the features and more days of battery and I will never buy. I'm 6'4" 220 and I will never wear a daily watch this big. :-(

 

[chucker23n1]

It's 83.6% more volume than the Apple Watch 42mm, and 115.4% more than the 38mm.

Both of which are already a little on the too-big side.

Long way to go.