Two Gear S3 models.
Samsung was host to a large group of media and associate partners from around the world at the official launch of its Gear S3 smartwatch at IFA. Samsung executive vice president of global marketing for mobile communications, Younghee Lee unveiled the smartwatch before ‘aBlogtoWatch’ founder Ariel Adams took the stage to speak to Switzerland-based luxury watch designer, Yvan Arpa, who was involved in the Gear S3 design process.
Renowned artist and industrial designer, Arik Levy, who was also at the launch, has partnered with Samsung to develop and introduce watch faces and strap designs for the Gear S3.
There will be two designs available to consumers: the Frontier and the Classic. The former is suitable for any setting with its rugged look, while the latter is more minimalist and elegant, influenced by the design aspects of traditional, premium wristwatches. Its design was influenced by research and surveys from consumers, industry leaders and watch experts, globally.
The stand-out feature which sets the Gear S3 apart from its predecessor, the Gear S2, is the Alti/barometer and speedometer that tracks altitude, atmospheric pressure, sudden changes in weather, distance travelled and speed.
Commenting on the launch, Samsung Electronics Australia corporate vice president and chief marketing officer, Phil Newton said: “We have announced the global launch of two wristwatches that offer our most advanced wearable technology available today including GPS, heart rate monitor, on-board microphone, as well as a music streaming services. They are durable and built with IP68 water and dust resistance rating.
“For the first time on the Gear series, the Gear S3 features Corning Gorilla Glass SR+, which is specifically designed for wearable devices to help provide a tougher, more scratch resistant and crisp display than our previous Gear devices.”
The 16-megapixel full-color Always On Display (AOD) and Super AMOLED technology means the face will always show the time rather than automatically fading to black to closely mimic the look and feel of luxury analogue watch.
The Gear S3 range will be available in Australia prior to Christmas with local pricing and availability to be announced closer to launch.