Posts

[MWC 2017] Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, HUAWEI, and TCL Compete over OLED Smart Watches

In MWC 2017, the competition over smart watches proceeded fiercely.

The unveiling of Gear S3 by Samsung Electronics in the last IFA 2016 attracted great attention from the smart watch market. The disclosures of products that can compete with Samsung Electronics’ Gear S3 at MWC 2017 are gaining great popularity among viewers.

LG Electronics displayed G-Watch 2 Sports with 1.38-inch P-OLED and G-Watch Style with 1.2-inch P-OLED, HUAWEI exhibited HUAWEI Watch 2 and HUAWEI Watch 2 Classic with 1.2-inch AMOLED panel, and TCL showed MOVETIME with 1.39-inch AMOLED panel.

The smart watches shown by LG Electronics, HUAWEI, and TCL adopted flexible AMOLED (P-OLED) and circle types to save the designs of existing watches, and LG Electronics’ G-Watch 2 and HUAWEI’s HUAWEI Watch 2 can be used as devices independent of smartphones because they have separate sims.

LG Electronics’ G-Watch 2 Sports is equipped with 1.38-inch circle type AMOLED panel, Google Android Wear 2.0, 768MB RAM, 4GB internal memory, and 430mAh battery, and it supports IP68-level waterproof and dustproof functions and wireless charging function.

On the other hand, G-Watch 2 Style is equipped with 1.3-inch circle type AMOLED panel, Google Android Wear 2.0, 4GB internal memory, and 240mAh battery, and it supports IP67-level waterproof and dustproof functions.

HUAWEI Watch 2 is equipped with a 1.2-inch circle type AMOLED panel, Qualcomm® Snapdragon ™ Wear 2100, 1.1GHz quad-core CPU, Google Android Wear 2.0, 4GB internal memory, 768MB RAM, and 420mAh battery, and it supports various types of Watch face, an equippable Sim (4G), and IP68-level waterproof and dustproof functions.

Meanwhile, LG Electronics and HUAWEI devoted considerable spaces to the smartwatch exhibition at their booths in the MWC 2017 exhibition, and it suggests that there will be big changes in the smart watch market which is dominated by Samsung and Apple.

<G-Watch 2 Sports of LG Electronics>

<HUAWEI Watch 2 of HUAWEI.>

Samsung Electronics launched Galaxy Gear S3 with improved luminance over 400nit comparing to the previous model

“Gear S3”, Samsung Electronics’ smart watch officially launched in Korea last 11 November, will be globally launched in USA, UK, Australia, France, Germany, France, Singapore, UAE, and others coming 18 November. It is anticipated that the markets will react enthusiastically as 54%(510 people) responded that they would like to buy Gear S3 based on a survey conducted on 994 people in USA.

The latest Samsung Gear S3 has implemented the Always-on-Display(AOD) function, always displaying the main contents on the screen using the 1.3-inch AMOLED Display. Battery life lasts at maximum for 3 to 4 days between charges since battery capacity has increased from 250mAh to 380mAh, improved by 27%. Moreover, it is made possible to be used for about 10 hours by setting watch-only mode when the battery remains 5%. The latest Gear S3 added useful functions such altimeter, barometer and speedometer for diverse leisure and sports activities embedding GPS coming with the IP68 level of waterproof/dustproof, and increased its benefits by installing SamsungPay. Particularly, it fixed outdoor visibility by enhancing its brightness by over 400nit comparing to the previous model and enables checking various information on the clear screen in bright sunlight, which used to be a problem for the previous models.

Samsung announced to hold a large-scale hands-on experience event in 15 spots in Korea, Famille Station, Gwanghwamun D tower, the nationwide main branches of CGV, including in Yeongdeungpo Times Square in Seoul to celebrate launching ‘Galaxy S7 Edge’ and ‘Gear S3.’ See at Samsung Galaxy S7 Campaign site(http://www.samsung.com/sec/galaxys7/experience) for further more details.

Meanwhile, it is expected, according to Ubiresearch, that the AMOLED panel market for smartwatch will have been grown by 14% per annum and comprised over 100 million ones market by 2020.

 

BY HYUNJUN JANG, HANA OH

[IFA 2016]Galaxy Gear: Talk about 3 event: How far the smart watch could be evolved

In Berlin where IFA2016 is held, Samsung Electronics hosted the showcase of Gear3, which is a follow-up model of Galaxy Gear on Aug. 31.
Smart watch is equipped with differentiated characteristics including a sporty sense, communication and simple healthcare function of checking the heart rate and the amount of exercise. Since Galaxy Gear2 and Apple Watch also had no difference with those characteristics, the prospect of smart watch market did not seem bright.
However, Galaxy Gear3 showed how smart watch could be used in human life in an appearance different from previous ones. It has evolved into a product that could absorb the existing watch market instead of seeking differentiation from the existing watches.

First of all, the appearance has been changed. The case is changed to steel, and it uses Gorilla Glass SR+ in order to prevent impact. Gear is carved in bezel, which was plain and inconvenient in manipulating the display.

It absorbed the appearance of the best sports watch models.
With its expanded width of 1.5 inch, the exterior has been expressly changed compared to the previous model, Galaxy Gear2.

In addition to the exterior change, Galaxy Gear3 has tremendously evolved in its internal software. Firstly, Always on Display function, which is applied to Galaxy S7, is applied. Always on Display is a function that enables you to always check time, and the function is realized by installation of the best flexible OLED only available by Samsung Display. In order to materialize it, it is required to have a display with very low power consumption, the operation technology and a long-life battery.

With a built-in GPS function, it is capable of navigation. You can use the smart watch separately since it is designed to be equipped with Alti/Barometer, Speedometer, LTE and built-in Speaker.
In addition to these, it secured safety by installing Knox, the software security system of Samsung. It also contains Connected Car System, which could be linked with an automobile.
In a comprehensive sense, Galaxy Gear3 to be launched soon is the first product that could be independently used without any smart phone. It has evolved to be a “Digital Convergence” product, which absorbed smart phone, rather than being an accessory product of smart phone.
In this event, Galaxy Note7 appeared in assisting the Galaxy Gear3. I have a very strong and good feeling that Galaxy Gear and Galaxy Note might pioneer a new market which divides up the existing smart phone market.