14 DAY TRIAL // The smartwatch market is about to become an interesting battlefield where two giants will clash their products: Samsung and Google. The latter with its Android Wear 2.0 operating system that should make its debut in Q1 2017, and the former with its Gear S smartwatches powered by Tizen OS.
By now it's pretty clear that Samsung has no intention of adopting Android Wear 2.0, especially that the list of smartwatches that will be updated to Google's OS doesn't contain Samsung's only smartwatch running Android Wear, the Gear Live.
Even though Samsung's Gear Live was launched two years ago, Android Wear 2.0 would still run perfectly fine on its hardware, so that shouldn't be a reason not to upgrade the smartwatch.
However, in order to beat Google at its own game, Samsung needs more and better products. The Gear S3 Classic and Frontier might be considered good-looking, but they are far from being perfect.
Samsung probably knows that too, and even if smartwatch sales slowed down considerably in the last year, it plans to launch a new wave of smartwatches.
Patently Mobile reports Samsung has just filed for two new smartwatch patents, and one of them is for a smartwatch that sports a foldable display. Basically, Samsung's smartwatch will turn into a bracelet with display.
The other one seems to be aimed at active people, as it features a single thin strap instead of the usual bracelet that comes with a watch. This thin strap is longer than the average hand, which allows the user to wear the smartwatch like a collar around his/her neck.
Moreover, users can shift the position of the smartwatch relative to the strap, so it can be used in various scenarios, as seen in the graphical representations that come with the patent filing.
We don't know when these wearables will make their debut on the market, but they look pretty interesting and innovative, so hopefully they'll be unveiled sooner rather than later.