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| Samsung unveils Galaxy Gear smartwatch accessory | Samsung unveils Galaxy Gear smartwatch accessory |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Samsung has unveiled a smartwatch with a colour screen that can show alerts, be used for voice calls and run apps. | Samsung has unveiled a smartwatch with a colour screen that can show alerts, be used for voice calls and run apps. |
| The Galaxy Gear had been highly anticipated since the firm is currently the world's bestselling smartphone maker and has beaten Microsoft, Apple and Google to unveil such a device. | The Galaxy Gear had been highly anticipated since the firm is currently the world's bestselling smartphone maker and has beaten Microsoft, Apple and Google to unveil such a device. |
| Samsung called it a "fashion icon". | Samsung called it a "fashion icon". |
| However, analysts warned that a decision to limit the watch to working as an accessory to other Galaxy Android devices might limit its appeal. | However, analysts warned that a decision to limit the watch to working as an accessory to other Galaxy Android devices might limit its appeal. |
| Samsung has previously said growth in the sales of its handsets was slowing, so investors are eager to see if it can find another successful product. | Samsung has previously said growth in the sales of its handsets was slowing, so investors are eager to see if it can find another successful product. |
| It unveiled the the watch - which will go on sale from 25 September - at the Ifa consumer tech show in Berlin. | It unveiled the the watch - which will go on sale from 25 September - at the Ifa consumer tech show in Berlin. |
| "The introduction of the Galaxy smartwatch comes as no surprise to the industry, which has been expecting Samsung to beat the likes of Apple - as well as watch makers and other consumer electronics companies - to market," said Chris Green, principal technology analyst at the consultancy Davies Murphy Group. | "The introduction of the Galaxy smartwatch comes as no surprise to the industry, which has been expecting Samsung to beat the likes of Apple - as well as watch makers and other consumer electronics companies - to market," said Chris Green, principal technology analyst at the consultancy Davies Murphy Group. |
| "Consumers might be a bit disappointed to find that the smartwatch is a partner device reliant on being paired with a Samsung Android smartphone or tablet, rather than being the completely autonomous device media and communications device many consumers were expecting and hoping for." | "Consumers might be a bit disappointed to find that the smartwatch is a partner device reliant on being paired with a Samsung Android smartphone or tablet, rather than being the completely autonomous device media and communications device many consumers were expecting and hoping for." |
| The South Korean firm's approach contrasts with that of Sony whose forthcoming Smartwatch 2 can be paired with any device running Android 4.0 or higher. | The South Korean firm's approach contrasts with that of Sony whose forthcoming Smartwatch 2 can be paired with any device running Android 4.0 or higher. |
| But one industry watcher said Samsung's decision should not be a surprise. | |
| "Samsung is trying to build its own ecosystem, so why do something that brings value to somebody else?" asked Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at tech advisors Gartner. | "Samsung is trying to build its own ecosystem, so why do something that brings value to somebody else?" asked Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at tech advisors Gartner. |
| "Although the price of the Galaxy watch is high there's not going to be great margins as there's lots of technology going into it. | "Although the price of the Galaxy watch is high there's not going to be great margins as there's lots of technology going into it. |
| The Galaxy watch will cost about $300 (£192) making it more expensive than Sony's device which costs £120. | The Galaxy watch will cost about $300 (£192) making it more expensive than Sony's device which costs £120. |
| Start-up Omate is planning to release a watch in October that matches Samsung's in price, but its device is set to feature a 3G chip meaning it can make calls and work as a standalone device. | |
| Unknown demand | Unknown demand |
| The Galaxy Gear features a 1.6in (4cm) LED display, a 1.9 megapixel camera, a speaker and microphone, has four gigabytes of internal storage and a non-removable battery. | The Galaxy Gear features a 1.6in (4cm) LED display, a 1.9 megapixel camera, a speaker and microphone, has four gigabytes of internal storage and a non-removable battery. |
| Samsung said the watch could be used as a way to make voice calls without having to take the phone it was linked to out of the owner's bag or pocket. | |
| It comes preloaded with 10 different clock options and there will be about 70 apps available at launch including Evernote's note-taking software, auction service eBay, the social network Path and several fitness programs. | |
| Gartner has predicted the global wearable computing market - which includes eyewear such as Google Glass and activity tracker armbands - could be worth as much as $10bn (£6.5bn) by 2016. | Gartner has predicted the global wearable computing market - which includes eyewear such as Google Glass and activity tracker armbands - could be worth as much as $10bn (£6.5bn) by 2016. |
| Tech consultancy Canalys has forecast as many as five million smartwatches could be sold in 2014. | |
| But in truth no-one is sure how great consumer interest will be. | But in truth no-one is sure how great consumer interest will be. |
| A new survey of more than 1,500 smartphone owners in the US and UK commissioned by telecoms consultancy CCS Insight might temper expectations. | |
| It found 65% of the respondents had heard of smartwatches and over 50% knew about wearable fitness trackers. | It found 65% of the respondents had heard of smartwatches and over 50% knew about wearable fitness trackers. |
| However, of those who already owned a smartwatch or fitness band, over 40% had stopped using it because they often forgot to put it on or had become bored of the idea. | However, of those who already owned a smartwatch or fitness band, over 40% had stopped using it because they often forgot to put it on or had become bored of the idea. |
| "Samsung has a history of latching onto the latest trends and throwing a product into the market to try and get ahead of potential rivals," said CCS Insight's Ben Wood. | "Samsung has a history of latching onto the latest trends and throwing a product into the market to try and get ahead of potential rivals," said CCS Insight's Ben Wood. |
| "Galaxy Gear is the first attempt but I expect that there will need to be several more iterations before it is something that will will appeal to anyone other than an affluent geek." | "Galaxy Gear is the first attempt but I expect that there will need to be several more iterations before it is something that will will appeal to anyone other than an affluent geek." |
| Unappealing 'anachronism' | |
| Ms Milanesi agreed that neither Samsung nor Sony's watches were likely to be the breakthrough product that makes smartwatches a mainstream product. | |
| "Once you get a curved display you'll see more interesting designs, but for the moment you are basically just putting a glass screen on a wrist and I don't think that will appeal to many," she said. | "Once you get a curved display you'll see more interesting designs, but for the moment you are basically just putting a glass screen on a wrist and I don't think that will appeal to many," she said. |
| "Samsung is also claiming a day's battery life with fair usage... it's like going back to a time you had to wind your watch up every night before going to bed. | "Samsung is also claiming a day's battery life with fair usage... it's like going back to a time you had to wind your watch up every night before going to bed. |
| "I don't think consumers want to do that with a watch or a band. They want to have it on without having to worry about charging it every day." | "I don't think consumers want to do that with a watch or a band. They want to have it on without having to worry about charging it every day." |
| Research firm Forrester was equally sceptical. | Research firm Forrester was equally sceptical. |
| "The wrist is the one of the most accepted places on the body for consumers to wear a sensor device," said analyst Sarah Rotman Epps. | "The wrist is the one of the most accepted places on the body for consumers to wear a sensor device," said analyst Sarah Rotman Epps. |
| "[But] there are very few functions you could perform better on a watch than on a phone. | "[But] there are very few functions you could perform better on a watch than on a phone. |
| "Maybe Samsung will tap into unmet demand with this product, disproving naysayers as it did with the Galaxy Note phone which succeeded after many 5in competitors failed. | |
| "But my bet is that smartwatches are sci-fi inventions that are already anachronisms in this modern world." | "But my bet is that smartwatches are sci-fi inventions that are already anachronisms in this modern world." |