Samsung is expected to reveal the Gear S4 during the IFA 2017 event on August 30 at Berlin. The latest smartwatch is expected to come with some substantial improvements over the Gear S3. However, very little is known of the upcoming device for certain. For instance, there is no certainty that Samsung will call the device Gear S4 and not by some new name. Some fans have posited that the upcoming smartwatch will be called the Samsung Gear Sport.
Some details have emerged in various Korean publications, which point to a device with a similar design to that of the Gear S3. It will likely sport a round face and bears the model number SM-R600. Rumors also point to the impending wearable running on the latest Tizen 3.0 operating system.
Speculated features of the Gear Sport
One of the most talked about features of the latest Samsung wearable is that it will be able to withstand 5 ATM water pressure. 5 ATM or atmospheric pressure when under water is only exerted when one goes around 165 feet deep. So, this essentially means that users will be able to go swimming and take a shower with the watch still on their wrists, without having to worry.
Samsung seems to be focusing on the swimming aspect with all its wearable range. Recently, it showed off the Gear Fit2 Pro, which included a dedicated app for the swimming fitness regime. A similar kind of program is also expected to come along with the Gear Sport.
Heart rate monitor and GPS are also expected to be housed onboard the impending device. This is due to the fact that Samsung is mainly targeting the sports crowd with the upcoming smartwatch. The Gear S3 launched in 2016 sported LTE connectivity, through which users were able to use the device regardless of whether they carried a smartphone with them or not. The same LTE connections are also expected to be present in the 2017 version.
The Gear Sport will also come with the Tizen 3.0 platform, which is the latest wearable operating system from Samsung. The device is expected to sport rotating bezels for interaction and will also include the Vulkan API. This feature will add a smoother graphics performance to the wearable along with overall performance improvements.
Competing with Apple Watch Series 3
The Gear Sport is expected to be unveiled on August 30, which is just a couple of weeks prior to Apple's September event, during which the company is supposed to reveal its Apple Watch Series 3. Apple's 42 mm impending wearable is said to cost $400. Samsung's impending smartwatch is also expected to bear similar price tags and will cost anywhere between $300 and $400.