Samsung has finally revealed the Gear S3 with more features than last year's Gear S2 but at the cost of additional weight and thickness which may bother some users.
When the South Korean tech giant unveiled the Gear S2 at IFA 2015, audiences were stunned at its simplicity and beauty even with the lack of some key features. Users needed to tether it to a phone in order to use most of the Internet connectivity features.
Now, Samsung has covered the connectivity issues as the Gear S3 now can connect to GPS satellites and can provide LTE connections thanks to the added features. The tradeoff is that it became a bit bulkier and heavier due to the added parts.
Samsung's Gear S3 features GPS, LTE and the specially designed Gorilla Glass for watches, The Verge has learned. However, the size has become thicker at 12.9mm compared to the Gear S2's 11.4mm.
While the added millimeter does not bother most people, some are still complaining that it is noticeable. The addition of GPS and LTE features and the larger battery needed space under the hood.
Samsung is also seemingly straying away from the futuristic look of the Gear S2 as the Gear S3 now looks like a classic watch in in itself. Some users are also disappointed as the design of the Gear S3 is mostly masculine and a feminine option is not yet available nor are there any plans of added designs in the future.
The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier takes the cream of the crop with the 4G LTE connectivity option plus the IP68 water-resistance feature which can be used by joggers or runners who still run in the rain, WIRED reported.
Users will be glad to know that the Gear S3 models still have the rotating bezel that was so fondly loved from the Gear S2 last year. The battery is also larger at 380mAh compared to the predecessor's 300mAh capacity.
Samsung has not yet announced the Gear S3 release date or prices but the company has said that the smart watch will be available through T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon. The carriers themselves will have to announce the Gear S3 price in the following weeks.