I have said it time and again: the smartwatch market is a sleeping giant, simply waiting for the manufacturer who will do it right. Naturally, we assume that a large manufacturer like Samsung (or Apple) would have the most chances – given their resources and expertise. This was simply not the case for Samsung’s Galaxy Gear, though, a smartwatch that failed to impress me one bit (see our hands-on for more).
I am not alone when it comes to this stance. In fact, a Samsung executive is said to agree with me! The executive decided to stay anonymous (of course), but the source is reliable.
“We’ve acknowledged that our Gear lacks something special. With more investment for user interface and user experience, Samsung devices will be better in terms of customer satisfaction.”
There are many issues with the Galaxy Gear, and this comes from a person who is “overly excited” about smartwatches (just ask other Phandroid bloggers). First and foremost, the device is only compatible with Samsung devices; Android 4.3 Samsung devices, at that.
This means that it is Only compatible with the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 10.1 for now. This is simply ridiculous! We know Samsung holds most of the Android marketshare, but that continues to be one huge “if”.
One good thing about Samsung’s name is partnerships, though. The device is set to launch with 70 apps, a number you can’t ignore when it comes to smartwatch support. But that is about the only cool thing about the Galaxy Gear. The camera is not necessary, the 315 mAh battery will give you a full day of battery life at best and the 1.63 inch LED display is bad for daylight use.
At this point, I am putting all my attention on the Qualcomm Toq. The company no one ever expected to make a smartwatch totally left Samsung in the dust… Samsung! The Toq will feature a Mirasol display, 2-3 days of battery life, wireless charging, bundled bluetooth headphones, and more. It simply seems to be much better planned for good everyday use.
What do you guys think? Which smartwatch are you putting your money on? How could Samsung improve the Galaxy Gear? You can see our comparison post to see how the smartwatch competition is going!
[Engadget]
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