LG may be prepping a third smartwatch, hot on the heels of its G Watch and G Watch R releases. According to a report from BusinessKorea, a device dubbed the G Watch R2 is in the works. This new wearable may follow the same autonomous path paved by Samsung’s Gear S smartwatch and feature its own 4G connectivity radio. If true, then the device may be able to make calls, send messages, and more without the need for a companion device or paired smartphone
3G Versus 4G
The Gear S is the first smartwatch to feature autonomous connectivity, although connections are restricted to 3G and Wi-Fi. LG is reportedly working to fit a 4G radio in the new G Watch R2. “According to industry sources on Dec. 8, LG is said to showcase the G Watch R2 with support for LTE at the MWC 2015 to be held in Barcelona, Spain in March of next year,” BusinessKorea reports.
This could prove challenging for the company. The 4G LTE radio in most smartphones tends to drain battery life more quickly than its slower 3G radio counterparts. If 4G can be achieved, then stamina will be the big hurdle that LG will have to overcome. At any rate, 4G will be a great way to support faster data transfer rates.
Web OS
It is still too early for official specifications, but speculation remains: Could this be the rumored webOS smartwatch The Verge reported on back in October? Earlier in the year, LG did acquire the operating system from HP after it went open source in 2011, but it’s still unclear where the system will land. Samsung is using the new Tizen OS for its 3G Gear S smartwatch, so it’s possible LG could take a similar route for its autonomous competitor.
What features and specs do you expect from a potential LG G Watch R2 with 4G LTE radio?
Image courtesy of Flickr
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