The Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 is set for a total redesign, according to reports from industry insiders. The main feature difference will be a curved, flexible screen, using the same technology Samsung employed in their curved screen televisions released in 2013, reports the International Business Times (IBT).
Curved Screen May Be Flexible, Too
The curved screen will be a major feature of the new Galaxy Gear, likely employing the same technology used in the critically well-received Samsung curved-screen televisions released in 2013. IBT has also pointed to the possibility of a flexible screen for the new Galaxy Gear smartwatch, which would make it one of the first flexible smartwatches on the market, behind LG who started mass-producing flexible OLED panels in October of 2013 for a range of products.
Set to be a major industry growth area, flexible screens have potential applications in smartphones, tablets, wearable technology, and televisions. Flexible screens are the logical progression for wearable technology like smartwatches, because they allow for a more snug fit on the wrist, and have a larger display area, allowing for more features on the screen.
Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 Coming Soon
The next generation Galaxy Gear could be launched as early as March or April, with MSN Technology reporting that Samsung may unveil the Galaxy Gear 2 alongside the Galaxy S5 at the February 24 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. MSN also reported that a fitness and activity tracker called the Galaxy Band, similar in function to Nike’s Fuelband, could also be launching at the event.
Why Samsung is Reinventing Galaxy Gear
Samsung’s first foray into smartwatches, the Galaxy Gear 1, was received less than enthusiastically by consumers and critics alike. The Daily Mail reports that the chunky design and poor battery life were the main culprits for the smartwatch’s poor performance, as well as its limited compatibility with other smartphones. According to The Daily Mail, analysts have blamed Samsung for rushing out the first version of the Galaxy Gear simply to make sure it was the first on the market ahead of competitors like Apple and Google.
Not to be turned off by this first attempt at wearable technology, Samsung has returned to the drawing board to redesign the smartwatch entirely. Samsung’s mobile business vice president Lee Young Hee said that “when we release our S5 device, you can also expect a Gear successor with more advanced functions,” but revamping the “bulky design” of the original would be the central focus of the new release, reports T3.
Will a curved or flexible screen tempt you into trying the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2?
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