Samsung will launch another smart watch next year

On September 17, Samsung has showed the Galaxy Gear smart watch in Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin (IFA), lead ahead of the Apple Corporation in this kind of product’s competition. But, according to a report by South Korea Digital Times that Samsung is still accelerating the speed to improve the product, and plans to launch another version of the smart watch in early 2014.

Quoted from an anonymous industry officials, Samsung’s new version of the smart watch will have GPS function, with better battery life, and also will be able to synchronize with other Android devices. When Samsung released the first Galaxy Gear smart watch on September 4th, industry analysts have criticized this product because of its only one day battery life. In addition, Galaxy Gear does not have GPS function, and only can be used with Galaxy Note 3; this factor also makes analysts have little confidence in its selling.

Online Forbes magazine writer Larry Magid said, from his early trial Galaxy Gear's experience, the limited battery life is one of the largest deficiencies about this kind of equipment. He said: "the users have to remember charging every day, and must remember to take the portable power bank during the trip." If Galaxy Gear can equip with the large capacity lithium batteries, then its standby time can be longer, and problem can be solved in the meantime.  

Samsung is known by quickly responding to the changing market and catering to consumer’s tastes, so the industry pointed out that the Galaxy Gear brought the overall impression that it is not only Samsung’s one commercial effort, but also an attempt in this field. Despite it has some shortcomings, when the Galaxy Gear comes to market in October this year in the United States, it will sell for $299, which means that this product may be the main aim to appeal to early adopters.

Samsung is committed to improving the Galaxy Gear’s battery life, but no matter for the Galaxy Gear or other smart watch products, the real potential may come from the applications and services which can run on these devices. Galaxy Gear can run some software applications like eBay, Pocket, RunKeeper, Path and Line. Samsung’s self-developed communication service AppsChatOn will also be landed on the new platform. Besides, if Galaxy Gear can be used with audio equipment, then it can meet more people’s different tastes.

Industry insiders said, if Samsung can continue to collect a series of attractive services for the next version of smart watch, plus the necessary hardware improvements, then the new product can have more chance to get the welcome of mainstream consumers, not just for early adopters.