Samsung's next Gear smartwatch is taking cue from LG's Watch Urbane and could possibly sport a round dial.
On Wednesday, April 22, a couple of Samsung trademarks leaked online hinting that the Gear W smartwatch from the company would have a circular display.
The trademarks revealed that Samsung was working on the Gear W, which may have the "Wheel UX." The term wheel indicates that the Gear W will be round. It would also boat a Tizen-based UI, which will be circular to accommodate the form factor.
Rumors have been rife that Samsung is working on a smartwatch with a circular display and the codename for it is believed to be Project Orbis. The smartwatch was also rumored to sport a circular display.
Now, Samsung has gone ahead and indirectly hinted at the display shape. How? On Thursday, April 23, Samsung announced that it will release a software development kit (SDK) for the impending Gear smartwatch prior to the official launch.
"Through meaningful and progressive innovation, Samsung welcomes to developers and industry leaders to join this open collaboration effort to enrich and create unique user experiences for a new smart mobile life," revealed JK Shin, CEO of Samsung's IT & Mobile Communications Division.
The accompanying image in the press release teases a smartwatch with a circular display. It also reveals that Samsung is currently working with Apposter, FidMe, CNN, Yelp and Baidu. The teaser image also shows rounded smartwatch apps from the partners.
The impending Gear smartwatch from Samsung will be the seventh in the Gear family and it is believed that the same may be named Samsung Gear A. With Samsung moving from a rectangular display to a round one, it is only natural that the company opens the SDK up to software developers prior to the device's launch.
Rumor has it that Samsung will be launching two variants of the Gear A, where one has 3G connectivity and the ability to make calls from the wristware. The other variant will have Bluetooth connectivity. The dial is anticipated to be a rotating one and sport a crown button. The wearable is also rumored to have wireless charging capabilities.
Developers who want to create apps for the impending Gear smartwatch can do so by applying for the SDK.
