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

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Yeah, I think this is my next smartwatch.

As for Samsung Pay without a Samsung phone, good question. For me, I have the Note 7. However, friends have Nexus's and Motos so we'll see...

It should work. On my S2, I had to put in my cards again, doesn't seem to be linked to the Samsung Pay on my phone.

 

[mjschabow]

Ugh...I love Apple and have gone to Samsung in the past and always ventured back, but wow does that look nice (so does the Note 7)

 

[msavic]

My biggest gripe with the S2 was the size, I just couldn't see myself using such a tiny watch. I wear a 44mm watch daily and couldn't imagine going to 38mm.

The S3 is now 46mm which is in my opinion the ideal size for a smart watch.

 

[Flow39]

Can Apple's retro 2007 look still expect to compete against Samsung modernist design for 2017?

Not on my watch!

I think that the Apple Watch looks more futuristic than the classic, traditional look of the S3, since that look has been used for a long time.

I don't hate the look of the S3, but it looks more like a traditional watch, which has been around for a long time. The Apple Watch definitely looks like a smartwatch, which has been around for much less time.

Which smartwatch you get all comes down to personal preference and really the ecosystem that you are tied into at this point.

 

[Mac 128]

Not that I agree with Apple here, but I think the reasoning is because that back sensor sort of "sinks in" to your arm, and so effectively isn't raising the Watch off of your risk much, if at all. This is, of course, if it's in tight enough to give good HR readings.

But then so does the back of the Samsung watch.

Moreover, Apple doesn't include the lug measurements, because they're only giving you the case diameter. Other watches don't have that luxury so Apple is being somewhat disingenuous here, by excluding something that the customer has no choice but to include in the overall size of the watch.

 

[Zirel]

I wouldn't go that far. For starters, nothing works with iOS (yet) as well as an Apple Watch. That's a pretty. If hurdle IMO. And it's part (but only a slight part) of why I haven't taken the smart watch plunge yet. Would love to be able to connect to my work or personal (android and iOS, respectively) phone st will and not be limited in what I can do.

Then go samsung.

I also said that it's going to sell more than the AW, because it's "better", it has everything that people complain about the AW not having.

 

[lordofthereef]

FWIW I think the all black version looks pretty damn close to what we saw in the rendering video in this article. I can't say the same for the silver though. Something about it looks less... premium, though I hate using that word.

 

[69Mustang]

Probably not the place to ask, but can one buy an lte model device, not pay for a plan, but still make emergency calls (or 911)? I know all cell phones sre able to dial out 911 with or without actual service. Being able to call for help would be my only requirement for LTE connectivity.

That's a good question. One I don't have an answer for. @GrumpyMom may have a better idea since she owns an S2 with cellular.

 

[jblagden]

The LTE only triggers when it is disconnected from your phone. I am trying the S2 Classic with an iPhone 6S Plus and the Samsung iOS beta app. I hate to say it, but it blows Apple's watch out of the water - and I had that for 6 months, before I sold it and kept the S2. This is one instance where Samsung beats Apple in interface design.

What is the Samsung watch app called? Is it available in the App Store? Or is it only available through TestFlight?

 

[Mac 128]

I agree with this. I'm all for adding features while retaining the same battery life, just like Apple has done with the iPhone line over the years. I remember Ive saying that as well, but I think I may have misinterpreted what you were saying earlier and got it confused in my head.

I was mostly arguing for the fact that a similar circular display size (42mm Moto 360 vs 42mm Apple Watch) will yield less information on the screen than the square. On a 38 vs 42mm, it would be be expected that the 38 would have less info just based on the fact that it is smaller, and for the text to remain readable, it would need to remain the same text size as the 42mm. I remember when the Pebble Time Round came out, it had issues with cutting text off on the sides and requiring more scrolling in comparison to the Pebble Time with a square display. The whole Moto 360 having less info on the screen is just from my experience though, so maybe it's just my experience with just this specific watch where that is a problem.

Here's a 1:1 comparison using the 42mm Huawei:

 

[Flow39]

Nah, I'm not being demanding. I'm questioning these claims:

"The Snapdragon 400 in my Moto 360 pales in comparison to what Apple has done with the S1 in the Apple Watch."

"The S1 is far more efficient and optimized for the software, in comparison to the phone-designed SD 400 that is completely un-optimized for Android Wear that is nowhere near as efficient."

To my knowledge, there's insufficient data to support that.



I did check AnandTech, but they don't really have much to offer either:

"However, this SoC is basically a complete mystery. There’s really not much in the way of proper benchmarking tools or anything that can be run on the Watch to dig deeper here."

"We also know that binaries compiled for the watch target ARMv7k. Unfortunately, this is effectively an undocumented ISA."

I'd love to know more, now that it's over a year later. Alas, it's looking like we haven't gotten much further.

Like I mentioned before, the closest you're going to get to comparing performance is to look at a 2011 iPhone 4s with the A5 (similar performance to S1) versus a 2014 Moto G LTE with the Snapdragon 400. Just based off of these results, it would seem that the S1 would perform far better than the SD 400. Plus the S1 is designed in conjunction with watchOS and optimized heavily, just like Apple does with the iPhone and iPad. Looking at the Moto 360, it has a phone processor in it which is not optimized for use with Android Wear. Now Qualcomm is designing watch-specific processors so performance and battery should be much better now. I'd like to know more as well, but this is as close as we're going to get for now.

 

[spinedoc77]

Can Apple's retro 2007 look still expect to compete against Samsung modernist design for 2017?

Not on my watch!

I think you are being generous, 1970's is more like it. Wow they even had a smaller bezel in the 70s!

 

[SockRolid]

The Gear S3 continues to use Samsung's Tizen operating system.

LOL. What should we call Tizen fanbois?
Ti-boys? Fanzens?

Probably doesn't matter anyway. They're so few and far between.

 

[Sensamic]

Also move the S2 will still get supported longer with updates and now with a discount.

 

[5105973]

That's a good question. One I don't have an answer for. @GrumpyMom may have a better idea since she owns an S2 with cellular.

I don't know offhand. Pardon the expression. I'll have to check on that and get back to you. I also need to see exactly how my account or line for the watch is set up on AT&T. There are actually many variations of the S2. Even from AT&T some were sold as 3G and others as 4G.

I think Apple Watches are going to be able to have this feature under the new software.

 

[mi7chy]

You're speculating. Give me data.

What we do know is that it's built on a 28nm process, like the A7 was, which means plenty of potential for a die shrink — thus, lower energy usage, taking up less space, more room for performance. I expect a massive boost with the S2.

But I'd still like some more data.

Here's a comparison of 2015 Apple Watch vs 2014 Galaxy Gear Live running Mac emulator. Gear Live blows the Apple Watch out of the water and is actually very usable.

 

[lordofthereef]

But then so does the back of the Samsung watch.

Moreover, Apple doesn't include the lug measurements, because they're only giving you the case diameter. Other watches don't have that luxury so Apple is being somewhat disingenuous here, by excluding something that the customer has no choice but to include in the overall size of the watch.

The Samsung watch is more flat. Apple is more like a bubble.

This isn't in defense of Apple, as I already mentioned. That's just where I think the thought process is coming from.

Beyond all that I don't really know.

 

[spinedoc77]

Here's a 1:1 comparison using the 42mm Huawei:

That's a hell of a lot more screen real estate in a similarly sized package, but that's Apple's MO seeing how overly large the iPhone series is versus its screen size. Just look at the massive bezels on the AW, embarrassing in 2016, and hey they are going to release it again as a new model in a week.

 

[chucker23n1]

LOL. What should we call Tizen fanbois?
Ti-boys? Fanzens?

Ti Fighters.

 

[lordofthereef]

Then go samsung.

I also said that it's going to sell more than the AW, because it's "better", it has everything that people complain about the AW not having.

We are just discussing here, friend. I mentioned the shortcomings of Samsun on iOS. But apparently there is a beta for their gear line working in tandem with iOS, so there is hope.

I'm merely saying that I don't see very many iOS users opting for anything other than an Apple Watch until these hurdles are removed.
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Ti Fighters.

This is the only acceptable answer.

 

[chucker23n1]

Here's a comparison of 2015 Apple Watch vs 2014 Galaxy Gear Live running Mac emulator. Gear Live blows the Apple Watch out of the water and is actually very usable.

That's System 6.0.3 vs. 7.5.5. Not meaningful.

 

[cdmoore74]

I wish Samsung would get on the move and release iOS compatibility. Because I would love to have Samsung Pay on my wrist and Apple Pay in my pocket. But I'm willing to bet that certain features will be gimped. My Moto 360 experience is worse on iOS vs Android but that's to be expected.

 

[sos47]

4 Days?? Only in Watch Mode! Never ever in GPS Mode. I guess <4 hours GPS in real life. Overall nice Gadget.

 

[rhinosrcool]

It should work without a phone connection, since it's all based on credit card numbers which are transferred through the terminal and not a data connection. If it works like the Apple Watch and Apple Pay, you should be able to pay without a connection to a phone or data network.

It should work. On my S2, I had to put in my cards again, doesn't seem to be linked to the Samsung Pay on my phone.

Good to know.

 

[mi7chy]

That's System 6.0.3 vs. 7.5.5. Not meaningful.

I've tried both system versions and it doesn't make a difference in performance.