Samsung officially announced its new-generation smartwatch — the Gear S3 — on Sept. 1. The Tizen-based circular wearable will be available in two versions: Gear S3 Frontier and Gear S3 Classic.
The Gear S3 Classic has a sleek design while the Gear S3 Frontier has a more rugged look. Apart from minor differences, such as the weight, both the wearables have identical specs.
The Gear S2 had impressed many smartwatch lovers and Samsung suggests that the latest Gear S3 is a significant addition to the company's wearable family.
"Samsung Gear S2 achieved meaningful progress in the smartwatch category with a personalized watch face and a versatile rotating bezel that provided an intuitive smartwatch experience. Now with the new Gear S3, we expand our Gear collection and introduce not only a great smartwatch, but a great watch. With smart capabilities and sophisticated, elegant design, the Gear S3 marks a significant addition to our smartwatch portfolio," said Younghee Lee, executive vice president of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics.
The Gear S2 and the Gear S3 share some features, but there are several differences between the two smartwatches from Samsung. Here is a comparison of the two smartwatches.
Form Factor
The Gear S2 Classic measures 39.9 x 43.6 x 11.4 mm (1.57 x 1.71 x 0.45 inches) and the Gear S2 measures 42.3 x 49.8 x 11.4 mm (1.67 x 1.96 x 0.45 inches). The new Gear S3 dwarfs its predecessor as both the Classic and Frontier variants measures 49 x 46 x 12.9 mm (1.93 x 1.81 x 0.51 inches).
In terms of weight, the new Gear S3 is also heavier than the previous versions of the wearable. The Gear S3 Classic weighs 57 g (2.01 ounces) while the Gear S3 Frontier weighs 62 g (2.19 ounces). The Gear S2 weighs 47 g (1.66 ounces) and the S2 Classic weighs 42 g (1.48 ounces).
Built
The bezels of the Gear S2 and the Gear S3 are made of durable stainless steel.
The screen of the Gear S2 is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, but the Gear S3 is protected by Gorilla Glass SR+, which is supposed to be more damage resistant.
Display
The Gear S2 has a 1.2-inch AMOLED screen with a display resolution of 360 x 360 pixels and 302 ppi. On the other hand the Gear S3 has a slightly bigger 1.3-inch AMOLED screen with 360 x 360 pixel resolution and 278 ppi.
Both the wearables feature always-on-display (AOD) but customers will note some changes in the feature. The AOD setting of Gear S2 removes color and also creates a dimmed version of the display. However, the AOD feature of Gear S3 reduces the brightness, but maintains colors on the display.
Rotating Bezel
Samsung introduced a rotating bezel in the Gear S2, which was applauded by the smartwatch community. The rotating bezel is also present in the newest Gear S3.
Battery
A 380 mAh battery fuels the Gear S3, and Samsung claims that it offers up to four days of usage. However, the Gear S2 comes with a smaller 250 mAh battery that offers between two to three days of usage between charges.
Software And Compatibility
Both the Gear S2 and the Gear S3 run on Samsung's Tizen operating system. The Samsung wearables are compatible with Android smartphones. The South Korean company has announced its plan to make Gear S2 and Gear S3 compatible with iPhones and Samsung is also working on an iOS app. However, Samsung is yet to confirm the date from when iOS support for Gear S2 and Gear S3 will begin.
Connectivity
The Gear S2 and the Gear S3 are available with GPS connectivity options.
Both variants of the Gear S2 are available in 3G cellular data-enabled variants. However, stand-alone data is not available in the Gear S3 Classic. The Gear S3 frontier comes with built-in 3G/LTE connectivity, which will allow users to make and receive phone calls.
Heart Rate Monitor
Most of the wearables offer some sort of fitness tracking features for its wearer. The Gear S2 as well as the Gear S3 have heart rate monitors that allow its wearer to track their fitness.
Price And Release
The Gear S2 and the Gear S2 Classic had a launch price of $300 and $350 respectively. Samsung has not confirmed the prices of the Gear S3 models. However, the Frontier is more capable than the Classic and customers should expect to pay extra for this model of the Gear S3.
Samsung announced the Gear S2 in September 2015 and the smartwatch hit the shelves in October 2015. The company has not announced a release date of the Gear S3, but going by last year's trend, the new-gen Samsung wearables could be released in October this year.
