Samsung Working on Tizen-Powered Smart Watch with SIM Card Slot
The Wall Street Journal reports that Samsung is developing a smart watch that can make calls and send email without being tethered to a smartphone. It is expected to be launched between June and July.
Samsung currently has four wearable devices - the Galaxy Gear, the Gear 2, the Gear 2 Neo and the Gear Fit - in the market and is gearing up to launch another one within the next two months. This time, the wearable device can function without being tethered to a smartphone and has a SIM card slot.
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the Samsung watch-phone can make and receive calls without being tethered to a smartphone. Most smart watches in the market such as the Pebble and Sony Smart Watch 2 need to be paired with a smartphone to receive notifications (e.g. calls, text messages, and social networks).
The watch-phone is said to be able to take photos, send email and comes with GPS, Bluetooth connectivity and a heart rate monitor.The South Korean company is reportedly in talks with telcos in the U.S, South Korea and Europe about the device, and is expected to launch it between June and July. Like the recent Gear devices, it will be powered by Tizen.
It remains to be seen whether Samsung's efforts to roll out Tizen-powered wearable devices will eventually take off in the consumer market considering that Google is venturing into the wearable space with Android Wear, and two upcoming smart watches by LG and Motorola powered by Android Wear look quite promising.
The Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 is able to make and receive calls, but it has to be tethered to a smartphone. <br>Image source: Samsung
Source: The WSJ via Android Police
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