Samsung set to release its slickest smartwatch, the Gear S2

People walk behind a glass window bearing the logo of Samsung Electronics at the company's headquarters in Seoul November 6, 2009. Reuters/Choi Bu-Seok

Samsung has come up with its best smartwatch so far, the Gear S2. The new addition to the company’s line of smartwatches also runs on Tizen, but with one improvement--it can now be paired with any Android smartphone with at least 1.5GB of RAM that runs Android 4.4 and up. This is a step forward from Samsung's earlier Tizen smartwatches, which were restricted to the South Korean company's own smartphones. Samsung says battery life should last for two to three days between charges, which comes with a magnetic wireless charging dock.

Gear S2’s Tizen foundation encourages developers to create apps for a completely different platform, apart from the more popular Apple and Android smartwatches. However, the company claims that it has 1,000 apps available at launch. The Gear S2 has a scrolling wheel or bezel, which is one of the biggest factors
that enhance the smartwatch’s minimalist design, Engadget reported. Samsung pointed out that some features, like Samsung Pay, are only available when the watch is paired with a Samsung phone, but everything should work fine with other Android phones.

Samsung has started producing its line of smartwatches since 2013. Tech experts agreed in their reviews that the newly released Gear S2 is built with substantial improvements compared to its predecessor. Design has become rounded, slimmer and more varied, thanks to the numerous watch faces available.

The overall design of functions and buttons makes the Samsung Gear 2 more efficient. Two buttons on the right side allow for easy navigation to home and back. The top button gives its user quick access to apps, while the bottom button brings the user back to the homescreen. Notifications are also easier to access and respond to, as emojis, auto replies and voice prompts are all available for immediate response to received messages.

“For the past several years, Samsung has pioneered and advanced the wearables category, bringing brave new concepts to the smart wearables market,” announced JK Shin, CEO and Head of Samsung’s IT & Mobile Business in a press release last month. “It is the perfect complement for any occasion, easily taking you from day to night, from work to workout—and ensuring that you get more out of every moment in your day, by making it smarter and ultimately more personal and fun.”

The Samsung Gear 2 may be Samsung’s most progressive work to date in the area of smartwatches. However, for now, the company has not yet announced pricing or availability details for the Gear S2 yet.