South Korean tech titan Samsung Electronics along with SK Telecom are claimed to be in talks to release a new variant of the Samsung Gear 2. This new variant of the smartwatch is said to let users to make calls without the necessity of connecting it to a smartphone. Samsung appears to be in plans to release their smartwatch with USIM (Universal Subscriber Identity Module) from SK Telecom, the largest telecom vendor in Korea, claim sources aware of the matter.
As suggested by a SK Telecom source, the new smartwatch would be made available only in Korea initially, but a global release of the same is not ruled yet as of now. Hence, there is a possibility that the new variant of Gear 2 could be released in other markets as well. However, a Samsung official has declined to let out any word about the new USIM variant or on its release.
According to industry experts, a smartwatch that is fitted with a USIM card is not unlikely provided that its battery life will arise as an issue as it would make the device power hungry.
It has to be noted that another South Korean tech firm, LG Electronics has already announced such a standalone smartwatch called Watch Phone with 3G compatibility in 2009. Moreover, this device includes a camera and a 1.43-inch display allowing users to initiate voice and video calls and also to connect to the internet. However, a major downside of the LG Watch Phone was that the device supported only built-in applications.
While it is not clear on when the Gear 2 USIM model will hit the retail shelves in the global markets, the Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit, announced at the MWC 2014 are expected to be released early next month across the globe.
Post by Abhinaya Prabhu
To be updated...