Samsung will be officially making the Gear S available on Nov. 7 for U.S. customers through Sprint. It will be sold through direct ship channels, including Web Sales, Telesales, and Sprint Stores. Qualified buyers can take advantage of Sprint Easy Pay, allowing them to purchase the Gear S with zero cash-out and just $16 on a 24-month payment scheme.
Entering the wearables fray, Samsung made the Gear S smart and comfortable to wear. Users can make and receive calls on-the-go, as well as send and receive texts or reply to emails whether they are near or far from their smartphone. The Gear S will be assigned with its own phone number so calls can easily be forwarded to the wearable, letting users take and make calls from their wrist.
Gear S is built on the Tizen platform, doing away with Google Wear although the smartwatch requires pairing with Samsung Android devices. It features sleek and curved 2-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display that is easy to read and view. An onscreen keyboard is also in place to make replying to text messages quick, while the enhanced S Voice facilitates voice commands. To keep up with a wide array of lifestyles, the Gear S is also certified to be IP67 water- and dust-resistant.
Through the Sprint 3G network, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity lets the Gear S connect to social networks, applications, and calendars, offering seamless notifications for activities. The smartwatch also comes bearing 24-hour news updates, with topics customizable so users only get the ones they are interested in.
For those conscious about their health, the Gear S has S Health and Nike+ installed, enhanced with GPS and multi-sensors. It can track exercises, monitor heart rates continuously, and produce workout reports with infographics. For the music lovers, the Gear S is equipped to play stored songs on the device or stream music from a companion smartphone.
Samsung devices that may be paired with the Gear S include: the Galaxy Note 4, the Galaxy Note 3, the Galaxy Note II, the Galaxy S5 Sport, the Galaxy S5, the Galaxy S4 mini, the Galaxy S4, and the Galaxy SIII.
"Samsung Gear S offers an amazing wearable experience and the Sprint Family Share Pack offers the best value to consumers. With the overhaul of our network, the Sprint network is there when our customers need it for all the ways they depend on their wireless devices," said Doug Kaufman, Device Strategy director for Sprint.
The Gear S may be added to a Sprint Family Share Pack for $10 a month for every line.
