After announcing two new Gear variants a day before the conference, Samsung has unveiled a third wearable devices, the Gear Fit.
This slimmer version of the smartwatch will indeed tell the time, but does so in the form factor of a bracelet, with a horizontal-oriented curved Super AMOLED screen. The 1.84-inch display sports a resolution of 432×128 pixels, and Samsung is trying to recreate many of the experiences from the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo on the wider, shorter screen.
Being a fitness-focused wearable product, the Gear Fit also sports the same heart rate sensor as its Galaxy S5 counterpart, and will communicate with the company’s newest flagship over Bluetooth LE. It’s unclear how accurate it will be, though: the sensor uses a specialized camera to read the flow of blood in your veins, but unless the band is placed very close to one’s skin, the reading is unlikely to be accurate. Other sensors include an accelerometer and gyroscope, so the band knows how many steps you’ve taken; unfortunately there is no altimeter to determine stairs climbed.
Samsung rates the Gear Fit at 3-4 days of regular usage, though it should last five days with minor usage. It has a removable strap, too, and is IP67 rated for dust- and water resistance.
The Gear Fit will be available alongside the Galaxy S5 in mid-April. No word on whether it is coming to Canada, but we’re fairly sure it will arrive here at some point.
