We’ve already heard most of the details on Samsung’s smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear, but there’s still room (and time) for some more information. The latest leaks from AmongTech confirm what our sources have told us but with the addition of a few more tidibts. According to the site’s sources at a Samsung warehouse facility, the Galaxy Gear will have 10 hours of battery life.
The smartwatch’s expected 2.5-inch, 320 x 320 OLED display is the likely battery hog here. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if the quoted 10 hour is for total on-screen time. I’d expect the watch to have an option that turns the screen off when not needed. Yes, it’s nice to see the time all day long, but it’s not necessary.
AmongTech also reports the watch will have 1 GB of memory and choice of storage in either 6 GB or 8 GB capacity. That seems odd to me as 4 GB and 8 GB would be considered more standard from a pricing perspective. Our sources say the Galaxy Gear will have an integrated camera and AmongTech says it will be a 4 megpixel sensor with 720p video recording capability.
I’ll be on hand next week at the September 4 event where Samsung is expected to debut the Galaxy Gear. At that point, we’ll see if all the leaks pan out.
Even if they do, I’ll be a little disappointed. Word on the street is that the device’s companion software will come not from Google but from Samsung, meaning the Galaxy Gear may only work with Samsung phones. But if that were wrong, I’m still not yet sold on the reported concept.
The more I think about it the less I want my smartwatch to be a second screen for my smartphone or bite-sized apps. There are enough of those on the market today. Instead, I want a contextual watch that’s built around something like Google Now.
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