Samsung's flagship smartwatch Gear Sport had made its global debut along with Fit2 Pro and IconX 2018 at the prestigious IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) event in August, but the company had not disclosed the specific time-frame of their release. Now, two of the three devices are finally set to hit the stores in a couple of weeks.
Samsung has confirmed that its new smartwatch series Gear Sport and wireless earphones IconX 2018 will be initially released in the US on October 27. The interested consumers can pre-book the devices at Samsung's online stores and authorised reseller websites -- Amazon, BestBuy.com, Sprint and US Cellular. The new Gear Sport costs $299.99(€254/Rs 19,401) and IconX 2018 comes with a price tag of $199.99(€169/Rs.12,934).
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"Samsung's new smartwatches and cord-free earbuds make wellness management simpler and easier; whether you want to get fitness insights or enjoy your favorite music, Gear Sport and Gear IconX 2018 blend style with functionality to help you manage your health and get the most out of your day," Alanna Cotton, Vice President Marketing, Samsung Electronics America, said in a statement.
As the name suggests, Samsung Gear Sport smartwatch is tailor-made for outdoor enthusiasts. It boasts military-level-durability MIL-STD-810G certification, capable of handling wide-range of environment conditions that include: low pressure for altitude testing; exposure to high and low temperatures plus temperature shock (both operating and in storage); rain (including wind blown and freezing rain); humidity, fungus, salt fog for rust testing; sand and dust exposure; explosive atmosphere; leakage; acidic atmosphere, acceleration; shock and transport shock; gunfire vibration; and random vibration.
Furthermore, it has 5 ATM (Atmospheres) water resistance rating, For those unaware, 1 ATM is the standard pressure of the atmosphere at sea level [In layman terms, pressure the object faces at about 10 meters deep (33 feet) underwater]. So, this means Gear Sport will be able to resist water until the pressure of the water is 5 ATM, which translates to 50 feet (165 feet) underwater.
It comes with a visually appealing minimalistic design having a circular bezel and sports a 1.2-inch super AMOLED (360x360p) display with Gorilla Glass 3 shield. It is powered by 1.0GHz dual-core processor with Tizen OS, 768MB RAM, 4GB internal storage and a 300mAh battery with wireless charging capability.
The notable aspect of the new Gear Sport is that it will help owners to remote control Samsung's IoT (Internet-of-Things)-enabled Smart Hub devices such as refrigerators and air conditioners, among others via Samsung Connect feature. Users can also use Gear Sport for PowerPoint presentation and Gear VR headgear. Furthermore, it boasts NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, that allows owners to make contact-less payments via Samsung Pay option.
The new cordless earphone Gear IconX (2018) series comes with a big battery, which is said to offer close to five hours of music streaming (from smartphone connected via Bluetooth) or seven hours of standalone music playback (it comes with 4GB internal storage).
The most interesting attribute of the new IconX earbuds is that it can be used to invoke Bixby digital assistant on smartphones. Users just have to simply tap and hold the earbud for a few seconds and use their voice to control the music on the phone – without even having it in your hand.
In a bid to attract fitness enthusiasts, Samsung has also incorporated new intuitive features in the Gear IconX. It is capable of automatically track users' running routines, and also features the standalone Running Coach function which can be activated by simply tapping the earbud to provide in-ear audio exercise status updates – in real-time and without your phone. It comes in Black, Grey and Pink.
As of now, there is no word on when Gear Fit2 Pro will be released.
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Key specifications of Samsung Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro:
| Models | Gear Sport | Gear Fit2 Pro |
| Display | 1.2-inch Circular super AMOLED (360x360p) screen with Cornining Gorilla Glass 3 shield
|
1.5-inch curved super AMOLED (216x432p) screen with Cornining Gorilla Glass 3 shield
|
| OS | Tizen | Tizen |
| Compatibility | Samsung Galaxy: Android 4.3 or later Other Android: Android 4.4 or later iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 6S, 6s Plus, SE, 5 *iOS 9.0 or later |
Samsung Galaxy: Android 4.3 or later Other Android: Android 4.4 or later iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 6S, 6s Plus, SE, 5 *iOS 9.0 or later |
| Processor | 1.0GHz dual-core | 1.0GHz dual-core |
| RAM | 768MB | 512MB |
| Storage | 4GB | 4GB |
| Battery | 300mAh with wireless charging | 200mAh with Pogo pin type charging |
| Sensors | Heart Rate Monitor (HRM), Accelerometer, Gyro, Barometer, Ambient light | Heart Rate Monitor (HRM), Accelerometer, Gyro, Barometer, built-in GPS |
| Add-ons | 5 ATM water resistance (can survive 165 feet underwater), MIL-STD-810G rating (tested under low pressure for altitude testing; exposure to high and low temperatures plus temperature shock (both operating and in storage); rain (including windblown and freezing rain); humidity, fungus, salt fog for rust testing; sand and dust exposure; explosive atmosphere; leakage; acidic atmosphere, acceleration; shock and transport shock; gunfire vibration; and random vibration), Bluetooth v4.2, Wi-Fi b/g/n, NFC, GPS/GLONASS/ Beidou, supports Speedo's new Speed On application to track swimming lap count, lap time, stroke type and more. | 5 ATM water resistance (can survive 165 feet underwater), MIL-STD-810G rating (tested under low pressure for altitude testing; exposure to high and low temperatures plus temperature shock (both operating and in storage); rain (including windblown and freezing rain); humidity, fungus, salt fog for rust testing; sand and dust exposure; explosive atmosphere; leakage; acidic atmosphere, acceleration; shock and transport shock; gunfire vibration; and random vibration), Bluetooth v4.2, Wi-Fi b/g/n, NFC, GPS/GLONASS/Beidou, supports Speedo's new Speed On application to track swimming lap count, lap time, stroke type and more. |
| Dimensions | 42.9(W) x 44.6 (H) x 11.6 (D) mm | 25.0(W) x 51.3(H) mm |
| Weight | 50g (without band) | 34g (Large), 33g (Small) |
| Band | 20 mm | Small (Size of the wrist: 125~165mm) Large (Size of the wrist: 158~205mm) |
| Colours | Black and Blue | Black and Red |
Key specifications of Samsung Gear IconX (2018):
| Model | Gear IconX(2018) |
| Compatibility | Android 4.4 or later smartphones with 1.5GB RAM or above |
| Sensor | Accelerometer, IR, Capacitive Touch |
| Battery | Earbud: 82mAh / Charging Case: 340mAh
|
| USB | 2.0 & Type-C |
| Wireless connectivity | Bluetooth v4.2 |
| Speaker | 5.8pi Dynamic Driver |
| Audio |
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