Before smartwatches, there was only one reason to look at the clock. Now, checking the time is just one of the myriad functions of a smartwatch. People use smartwatches to check the time, track important health metrics, communicate with friends, choose a watch face for the day, and enjoy a variety of content right from their wrist.
Samsung Newsroom traced the evolution of the Galaxy Watch series over the past decade, as the device went beyond its traditional role and redefined the meaning of a watch.
Thinking Outside the Box: Ushering in a New Era of Smartwatches
Launched in September 2013, the revolutionary Galaxy Gear brought the Galaxy experience closer to everyday life. The wearable featured a 41.4mm display that allowed users to make and receive calls, schedule events, set alarms, and check the weather using their voice. A strap-mounted 1.9 megapixel camera and the ingenious Memographer feature allowed users to capture photos and short videos on the fly, without needing a smartphone. The Galaxy Gear was no longer just a watch; it ushered in a new era of smartwatches.
Samsung launched the second generation Samsung Gear2 in February 2014. Lighter and thinner than its predecessor, the device had a longer-lasting battery and was packed with features that allowed it to be used without a smartphone. Users could monitor their heart rate using the heart rate sensor and track their exercise in real time, and the built-in file storage could turn the watch into a standalone music player. The Samsung Gear2 Neo, which was announced at the same time, gave consumers an additional option with all the same features as the Samsung Gear2 except for the camera.
Introduced in 2014, the Samsung Gear S was Samsung’s first smartwatch with a large, curved Super AMOLED display that wrapped around the user’s wrist and supported 3G and Wi-Fi without being tethered to a smartphone. Its 2015 successor, the Samsung Gear S2, was Samsung’s first smartwatch with a circular display and the rotating bezel that is now a feature of the Galaxy Watch Classic series.
In 2016, Samsung launched the Samsung Gear S3, which drew attention for its elegant design inspired by traditional timepieces and innovative features that improve everyday life. The Always On Display feature keeps the time always visible on the user’s wrist with a Super AMOLED display that supports 16 million colors. The built-in speaker and microphone allow you to make calls on speakerphone without a Bluetooth headset. And the GPS allows you to record your exercise history and view your route on a map without a smartphone.
The final model in the Samsung Gear series, the Samsung Gear Sport, offered a sporty design for people with active lifestyles. It boasts a 5 ATM water resistance rating, so it can be worn while swimming. The enhanced waterproofing includes a Water Lock mode that prevents the touchscreen from being unintentionally activated by strong water currents.
Galaxy Watch: A new companion for a balanced lifestyle
In August 2018, the Galaxy Watch series was born. The rebranding reflected the diverse and ever-expanding features of today’s smartwatches, including health trackers, personal assistants, and fashion accessories. To improve the user experience and emphasize Samsung’s smartwatch identity, the wearable retained the distinctive circular bezel of previous models, but for the first time added an hourly alarm and a ticking second hand sound. Available in three colors and 42mm and 46mm sizes, the versatile device offers stress management and sleep management features to improve the health and wellness of its users. Users can also track workouts for 39 different exercises, more than any other watch on the market at the time.
Samsung launched its new smartwatch lineup in February 2019 with the Galaxy Watch Active, designed specifically for users with an active lifestyle. With a 28.1mm Super AMOLED display, the watch retained its signature circular shape but eliminated the bezel and used aluminum to reduce weight by 25 grams. The 20mm watch band made of flexible fluoroelastomer gave fashion-conscious users more options to express their individuality. Meanwhile, health-conscious users could track their exercise, sleep, stress levels, and blood pressure in real time. They could also check how much time they spent in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep compared to the other three sleep stages.
In August 2019, the Galaxy Watch Active2 took personalized health and wellness management to the next level for people seeking a healthier lifestyle. Apart from the rotating bezel and other user experience enhancements, the My Style feature provided users with more stylish and customized watch faces. The wearable was the perfect companion to help users adopt a healthier, more balanced lifestyle through its enhanced stress and sleep management features, as well as an Exercise feature that can track over 39 different workouts. Additionally, the upgraded Galaxy ecosystem offered improved connectivity and everyday convenience.
A new era: integrated healthcare is here
Two years later, Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch3 to health-conscious people in August 2020. While the stainless steel circular bezel remained, users could now choose between a larger 41mm or 45mm display in a lighter, thinner body. For the first time in Galaxy history, Samsung added an even lighter, stronger and more premium model made from titanium. The device offered an integrated healthcare experience right from the wrist, including health, fitness, sleep management and blood pressure monitoring. Additionally, Samsung introduced electrocardiogram (ECG) readings and a blood oxygen feature that tracks oxygen saturation over time.
The Galaxy Watch4 series redefined the smartwatch experience in August 2021. It comes in two models: the modern and minimalist Galaxy Watch4 and the more traditional Galaxy Watch4 Classic with its signature rotating bezel. The BioActive Sensor, launched for the first time, measured various health indicators such as blood pressure, ECG, and blood oxygen saturation more accurately than previous watches. Users seeking more comprehensive health information can measure their body composition by simply placing two fingers on the smartwatch and learn how to manage and achieve their health goals. The wearable is equipped with the new Wear OS, co-developed with Google, giving users access to more diverse applications. Meanwhile, the new One UI Watch update significantly improves the user experience by seamlessly connecting the watch with Samsung smartphones, wireless earphones, and other devices.
Above the Wrist: Your Partner in Knowing Yourself Better
In August 2022, Samsung opened a new chapter in smartwatches with the Galaxy Watch5 series. The Galaxy Watch5 Pro, ideal for outdoor sports, is newly introduced to this lineup. The more advanced Samsung BioActive Sensor improves the accuracy of body composition, heart rate, and ECG monitoring measurements. In particular, the newly installed temperature sensor on the Galaxy Watch5 provides predictions based on skin temperature, allowing women to conveniently track their menstrual cycle.
Samsung once again supported health-conscious users with the Galaxy Watch6 series, unveiled in July 2023. The wearable features comprehensive health features to provide more personalized and innovative health solutions for users who want to better manage their health. The bezel is slimmer and the display is about 20% larger than its predecessor, allowing users to see more information at a glance. The Galaxy Watch6 is designed with a distinctive circular design, while the Galaxy Watch6 Classic features a rotating bezel reminiscent of an analog watch. A new button replaces the spring bar structure, allowing users to easily change the watch band with one click.
With more sensitive BioActive sensors and powerful processors, health metrics have become more specialized, from sleep management and fitness coaching to heart health monitoring.
AI-based Galaxy Health experience and next-generation watch
Samsung unveiled the One UI 6 Watch in May 2024, with which the company transformed the Galaxy Watch into a comprehensive digital health assistant that measures metrics such as heart rate and sleep patterns. Health insights will be more comprehensive and detailed than ever before, and users will receive AI-powered personalized messages to encourage them to achieve their health goals. In addition, the Galaxy Watch series, due to be released later this year, will measure advanced glycation end products (AGEs) with an updated bioactive sensor featuring more colored light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a newly designed photodiode.
Samsung is constantly expanding its possibilities and will continue to do so in the future. Each new wearable not only provides basic watch functions but also the services that the younger generation expects. Aiming to become the closest companion to cherish every exciting and precious moment in your life, Samsung has been pushing the boundaries of smartwatches for over a decade. And the best is yet to come.
For more information on Samsung Galaxy Watch, visit https://www.samsung.com/my/watches/.
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