Just as announced, the new Samsung Gear 2 officially went on sale in the U.S., but only one variant will ship within a few days.
The Samsung Gear 2 is the latest smartwatch from the company and has raised plenty of interest due to its wider compatibility, as it can pair with more Android devices from OEMs other than Samsung.
The smartwatch hit commercial availability in the U.S. on Friday, Oct. 2, but only the Dark Gray model will be ready to start shipping in the next few days. The Gear S2 Silver variant and the Gear S2 Classic (Black), meanwhile, will take 3 - 4 weeks to ship.
Nevertheless, interested customers can order any of these three models directly from Samsung's website. The Gear S2 in Silver or Dark Gray costs $299.99, while the Gear S2 Classic goes up to $349.99.
It's worth pointing out, however, that only the Bluetooth versions of the Samsung Gear S2 are available for purchase now, as the 3G models are still listed with a "coming soon" label.
As a reminder, the Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Classic run Tizen OS, not Android Wear, and have 1.2-inch round-shaped Super AMOLED displays with a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels. Samsung opted for rectangular form factors with its first smartwatches, but circular smartwatches proved to be more popular among consumers. The Gear S2 and Gear S2 Classic work with Samsung's Galaxy line of smartphones, as well as any Android handsets with at least 1.5GB of RAM and Android 4.4 or later on the software side.
Both the Gear S2 and the Gear S2 Classic have rotating bezels around the display, allowing users to navigate through the user interface (UI), and both can handle the occasional splash due to their water-resistant build. The two differentiate themselves from one another through design, as the Gear S2 comes with a futuristic design while the Gear S2 Classic, like the name itself suggests, looks like a classic watch.
The 3G models of the Samsung Gear S2 should become available for purchase later this year, both in the U.S. and in other markets, but the company has yet to announce specific pricing or availability details. The Gear S2 Classic, meanwhile, comes only with Bluetooth connectivity, with no 3G model.
