Samsung teases round smartwatch with heavy Apple Watch influence
Samsung's Unpacked event on Thursday brought more than a blown-up S6 Edge and a new Note -- the company also gave a sneak peak at the next version of its Galaxy Gear smartwatch, a significant update that takes more than a few cues from Apple's own wearable.
The Gear S2 --?Galaxy branding is apparently pass? in the fashion world -- is round, unlike its rectangular forebears. It also seems to be running Samsung's own Tizen operating system, rather than Google's Android Wear, which powered the first-gen Gear.
With the form factor shift comes a new user interface, which features a group of round icons that look somewhat familiar. What seems to be a dialer is nearly identical to the Apple Watch's Friends view; the Weather icon swaps the sun to the right-rear of the cloud.
Samsung Gear S2
In sum, Samsung seems to have returned to the strategy it employed during its "crisis of design" in the wake of the iPhone's release.
In a 132-page document uncovered as part of Apple's landmark lawsuit against the South Korean firm, Samsung's design team methodically deconstructed the iPhone's user interface and suggested methods to make Samsung's own smartphone UI more closely align with Apple's. This report helped seal Samsung's fate in a trial that saw it found guilty of copying the iPhone and ordered to pay Apple hundreds of millions of dollars.
Samsung will reveal more details on Sept. 3, but so far it looks like Galaxy S1 redux with the Gear S2.
The Gear S2 --?Galaxy branding is apparently pass? in the fashion world -- is round, unlike its rectangular forebears. It also seems to be running Samsung's own Tizen operating system, rather than Google's Android Wear, which powered the first-gen Gear.
With the form factor shift comes a new user interface, which features a group of round icons that look somewhat familiar. What seems to be a dialer is nearly identical to the Apple Watch's Friends view; the Weather icon swaps the sun to the right-rear of the cloud.
Samsung Gear S2
In sum, Samsung seems to have returned to the strategy it employed during its "crisis of design" in the wake of the iPhone's release.
In a 132-page document uncovered as part of Apple's landmark lawsuit against the South Korean firm, Samsung's design team methodically deconstructed the iPhone's user interface and suggested methods to make Samsung's own smartphone UI more closely align with Apple's. This report helped seal Samsung's fate in a trial that saw it found guilty of copying the iPhone and ordered to pay Apple hundreds of millions of dollars.
Samsung will reveal more details on Sept. 3, but so far it looks like Galaxy S1 redux with the Gear S2.
Comments
it looks awful.
I was just thinking earlier this week how Apple's interface seems future proof for a circular design, though.
Why do you think Apple will go round? What benefit is there to round besides aesthetics? Going round means the watch face has to be much larger. Round elements can fit inside a square much easier than square elements inside round.
Uh-huh. Proof by "I have a feeling".
See, the technical term for that is "bull crap." Stop this nonsense.
If anyone has an ounce of thought that this watch copied any ideas from Apple Watch then I can't help you.
I agree. Apple didn't invent circular icons and Samsung isn't copying Apple's app constellation design. If anything this looks like one of LG's smart watch designs using webOS.
I actually prefer Apple's design because if you have a bunch of apps it's much easier to pan around and find what you're looking for.
It looks 'Samsung'.
This is SAMMY. There's not an ounce of doubt this watch will copy. I can already see the icons being a decent attempt at that. We'll probably get square versions with these icons soon.
Anyways I can't wait to see the Apple-like promo videos with a guy faking a british accent like they did with the edge.
I'm not saying that a round shape is appropriate for TVs iPads iPhones, but wouldnt be surprised if apple will make a round (circle or oval) watch in the future. The square is already exhausted, but turning it around I guess a romb might be another option. There are not that many options oout there..
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Hell no. A circle is a horrible shape for a computing device.
I agree. I believe the the notion that the Apple Watch is a "watch" is a smoke screen. This is a wrist worn computer. I don't know how it will evolve, but it will gain functionality and a round screen on a computer loses too much real-estate that coult be used for the UI.
come on guys, it's a round watch. I have a feeling apple might 'copy' the design in the next generation. The wheel has already been invented, and everyone is using it. Stop this nonsense
I think it's less about the shape of the watch and more about the UI.
You've got to be kidding me.....
An utterly shameless company.
It still is unlikely to sell many units though...so perhaps it doesn't matter.
And while a round device is of course poor for purely showing data in a square shape, I would not rule out a round Apple Watch in the future, simply from the perspective that new designs are very important to maintain the fashion side of the watch. It is a computer on the wrist, but that computer (from its UI perspective) is not meant to replace the phone, which itself was not meant to replicate/replace all elements of the computer. The Watch is about glances, little bits of information, communication, fitness, interfacing with the IoT including payments, etc.
For all the information that my Apple Watch shows me, there is nothing that couldn't be shown on a circular face, with the right UI design. I am sure that Apple will invest tons to ensure they have the UI/UX right for a round version (sometime in the future), and will not implement it until they have an elegant solution for developers to accommodate different screen shapes.
It still is unlikely to sell many units though...so perhaps it doesn't matter.
Isn't that the equivalent of a thief saying, "I only stole a small sum of money, so it doesn't matter."
I'm sorry but this LG Urbane looks like something desperately trying to be a higher end mechanical watch but failing. Apple went high end with materials and bands rather than trying to copy a mechanical watch face.
And it's obvious the marketing shots for these Android Wear watches are faked to make them look like traditional watches as much as possible. They don't look nearly as nice in real life with that really bright display.