Amidst all the Apple Watch hype, it’s easy to forget that Samsung’s aleady worked its way through two generations of smartwatch, and is prepping to launch a third. And according to a new Samsung software development kit, the next Gear will have a circular display, and rotating bezel to control it with. Digital crown what now?
The SDK was released earlier this week by Samsung, and has been combed through by SamMobile for details on the upcoming device. The biggest difference with the next Gear will be the display: whereas the first two generations featured rectangular screens (since that’s what Android Wear is designed to work with), the new model will come with a 360 x 360 circular display, with a nearly-Apple-Watch-rivalling 305 ppi.
Surrounding the screen will be a rotating bezel, used for flipping through the software. Depending on what’s on screen, it can navigate menus, change screens, zoom in and out, or change the volume. Under the hood, sensors will include all the standard fare found in smartwatches: accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, magnetic sensor, and an optical heart-rate monitor. Connectivity apparently includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a cellular radio — so this smartwatch might not be tethered quite so closely to your smartphone.
If Samsung remains as predictable as ever, you can expect a launch at the IFA trade show in September this year. [SamMobile]