Samsung doubles down on wearables with Tizen-powered Galaxy Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo

As expected **Samsung has announced** the **Galaxy Gear** ’s successor but instead of a singular smartwatch, Samsung bets big on wearables with two follow-ups in what would most likely be different price brackets. Samsung will announce more details about the Galaxy Gear 2 and the Galaxy Gear 2 Neo at Mobile World Congress which begins in Barcelona tomorrow, but in an official press release has revealed the specs and given us a look at the two watches.   The Galaxy Gear 2 is the proper follow-up while the Gear 2 Neo is a toned-down update and could do for the category what some of Samsung’s mid-range phones have done for smartphones. Both **watches run Tizen** and this is a move forced in part by one of the biggest criticisms of the first-gen Gear i.e. battery life. The company is announcing better battery life numbers, but we don’t yet know whether this is due to hardware or software changes.   Tizen, which has been developed largely by Samsung and Intel in conjunction with other tech companies, is also an open-source OS and thus has the same advantages of Android. Samsung has mentioned just one line about the watches being powered by Tizen-based wearable platform. So more details will be revealed at the official Unpacked event.   [caption id=“attachment_218766” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  The Gear 2 has an improved camera and a metal body[/caption] The Gear 2 looks more grown up and mature in comparison to the Galaxy Gear. The colours are noticeably more muted, such as the less bright shade in the orange version of the watch. Strap color options include  Black, Gold-Brown and Wild Orange for the Gear 2 and Black, Grey and Orange for Gear 2 Neo. In addition, straps can be interchanged or replaced with third-party straps if they become available     Both watches are or less the same with some hardware differences. They have a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 320x320 pixels. They both feature a 1GHz dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage. That sounds about as good as a low-end Android phone. The Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo are both IP67 certified for dist and water resistance.   Only the Gear 2 has a camera, which is understandable and we think this is a bit of a luxury on a smartwatch, so it’s good to see the Gear 2 Neo without one. The camera has been fitted on the Gear 2’s body, which allows the strap to be replaced. This was also one of the criticisms of the Gear, that Samsung has worked to improve and honestly this does sound like a better alternative. The camera is a 2-megapixel unit which can shoot 1080p (1920x1080, 1080x1080) and lower (1280x960). Both Gears support HD video playback, come with Samsung’s usual support for wide variety of formats and boast a ton of sensors.   [caption id=“attachment_218767” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  The Gear 2 Neo lacks a camera, and the plastic body indicates it would be priced lower than the Gear 2[/caption] In the fitness category, they feature a heart rate sensor, a pedometer and exercise trackers. The new Gears can track your running and walking routines independent of the connected smartphone, while cycling and hiking require constant touch with the tethered phone. Samsung says you can also download sleep and stress-related apps for the Gear, which will encourage you to change your daily schedule to suit your exercise patterns.   The Gear can function as a music player and has support for wireless speakers over Bluetooth 4.0. An IrLED sensor allows the watch to be used as a remote control for compatible TVs over the WatchON app.   Coming to the part, which most have been waiting for. The battery life is said to have been improved drastically. The 300 mAh Li-Ion battery is rated for 2-3 days under typical usage and for up to six days on low usage. We don’t know how Samsung defines these but the rated numbers sound not too shabby for a full-function smartwatch.   Whether Samsung has managed to actually improve the smartphone experience is still to be decided, but it has made an active effort to respond to the criticism about the original. It has made changes in design, utility and in hardware too, that could very well define the wearable category this year. But the one thing that’s not yet been announced is the price. If the Gear 2 is anywhere close to the same price as the Galaxy Gear, when it launched, then it will have a tough time finding success. As we saw with the Gear, the pricing had to be changed quickly.   As for the Gear 2 Neo, it will be even more crucial that Samsung gets the pricing for this one right as it’s essentially the second-tier smartwatch and its success could make a greater push in the wearable category more viable.   Pricing aside, in terms of hardware and design, we have finally have a Gear smartwatch that could be a commercial success, the kind of which Samsung expects generally from its smartphones.