Gear s3 frontier
Always active screen
Control with one movement
Enjoy the ease of use of the Gear S3 frontier. Manage notifications, adjust volume, answer calls simply by rotating the bezel left or right. You can easily manage your ...
Gear s3 frontier
Lead an active lifestyle with the Gear S3 frontier. Smart watches combine exceptional style and reliability. Fitted with a 316L stainless steel alloy body, shock resistant, they operate even in high and low temperatures. The laser engraved bezel of the Gear S3 frontier is not ...
Gear s3 frontier
Lead an active lifestyle with the Gear S3 frontier. Smart watches combine exceptional style and reliability. Fitted with a 316L stainless steel alloy body, shock resistant, they operate even in high and low temperatures. The laser-engraved bezel of the Gear S3 frontier not only enhances its unique design, but also enhances its user-friendliness.
Always active screen
The updated full color always-on display is virtually indistinguishable from the classic watch face. Choose the interface that suits you. The watch comes pre-loaded with 15 screen designs, and you'll find even more in Galaxy Apps. Make your watch truly unique!
Control with one movement
Enjoy the ease of use of the Gear S3 frontier. Manage notifications, adjust volume, answer calls simply by rotating the bezel left or right. You can easily operate your watch even with wet hands or gloves.
Change style by changing straps
Find the strap that's right for you. The Gear S3 frontier has a universal mount that is standard on traditional watches. Samsung interchangeable straps are durable and elegant. Showcase your unique style!
Call from your smart watch
Let the Gear S3 frontier be your smartphone. The built-in speaker and microphone allow you to make and receive calls without your smartphone and listen to voice messages and reminders. In addition, you can enjoy your favorite tracks thanks to the built-in music player.
Built-in sensors
The Gear S3 frontier is equipped with a barometer and constantly monitors the pressure, informing you of any unexpected or expected changes in as much detail as necessary to plot a new route. The altimeter and speedometer help you track your speed and show your current altitude. Smart watches keep you one step ahead.
Tracks on the road
Plug in your Bluetooth headphones and listen to your favorite tracks while exercising and traveling! With 4GB of internal storage, the Gear S3 frontier lets you take your favorite music with you, even without a smartphone.
4 days without recharging
Thanks to the large battery, you can go without charging for up to 4 days!
Water and dust resistant
Wear the Gear S3 frontier in any weather, in any situation. Protection against water and dust according to the IP68 standard allows the watch to withstand immersion in fresh water to a depth of 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes.
SOS messages quickly and easily
Just press the Home key three times to instantly send your location to the selected contacts. They will be able to track your movements in real time.
More than 10,000 applications
Go to the Galaxy Apps online store and download any app from the huge library from the Gear S3 frontier screen. Easier than ever.
Customization and compatibility with smartphones
Setting up the Gear S3 is as easy as using it. To connect the Gear S3 to your smartphone, open the Samsung Gear App on your smartphone and follow the on-screen instructions. Gear S3 is compatible with many other smartphones. The Gear S3 connects to smartphones running Android 4.4 or higher with more than 1.5 GB of RAM, as well as iPhone 5 and newer smartphones with iOS 9.0 or higher.
Samsung Pay
Shop with Gear S3 using Samsung Pay! The Samsung Gear S3 device fully supports the payment service, allowing you to pay for purchases at terminals that accept regular bank cards. All you need to do is connect the Gear S3 to your smartphone.
The first generation of smartwatches looked like an attempt to transfer some of the capabilities of a smartphone to a wristwatch. Since then, these devices are often perceived as exotic gadgets and, in general, raise many questions. However, smartwatches today are not at all what they were even three years ago. Their functionality and concept have changed markedly. But to answer the question "Why do we need a smart watch?" is still not easy. After a month with the Samsung Gear S3, I decided to give it a try, sharing my impressions of the device along the way. Basically, I used the Gear S3 as a regular watch, as a fitness tracker, as a sports watch, as well as for solving small tasks using third-party applications.
Everyday wristwatch
Choosing a wristwatch, you can spend an eternity deciding which dial is better, because you cannot change it without changing the watch itself. The Gear S3 does not have such a problem, the round 1.3-inch Super AMOLED display of the watch with a resolution of 360x360 pixels allows you to change the dials at your discretion. The Samsung Apps store a wide variety of watch face designs, from funny cartoons to famous classic watches.
Of course, this is not the most important thing in smartwatches, nevertheless, it is nice that they can be "adjusted" to suit your style or mood. The same applies to the straps, in the Gear S3 they are standard - 22 mm, so it is easy to change them to any compatible ones.
It is impossible not to recall the design of the Samsung Gear S3, which, although larger than the previous version, but on the hand, in my opinion, look better. At the same time, the round design of the model does not give out an electronic device in it, and the ability to make the screen constantly active neutralizes the gap with a regular watch.
More often than not, people perceive the Gear S3 as a wristwatch, which is actually a good thing, because it is designed for everyday use.
Physical activity tracking
Initially, smartwatches did not try to compete with fitness bracelets, but after the latter began to acquire displays, it became clear that these are devices of the same category. Accordingly, Samsung paid special attention to this functionality. The Gear S3 uses a range of sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, heart rate monitor) that allow the watch to count steps, floors climbed, total activity minutes, heart rate, and automatically track sleep. In addition, the Gear S3, for example, understands when you are cycling and records the corresponding activity.
All this data is saved in the S Health app and can be synced across different devices. Of course, smartwatches cannot make you walk more or sleep longer, nevertheless, they push you to do so. At the same time, this is done in an easy playful way. For example, the Gear S3 displays all activity for the day as a filling circle, and you should try to have a minimum of gray segments on it that appear if you do nothing.
In addition, S Health allows you to compete with friends or other users of the service. Thus, the watch encourages more activity, including periodically reminding you to take a walk. S Health generates a weekly report that you can use to track your progress.
Initially, it seemed to me that there is no big difference with a regular fitness bracelet and this system, but in the end it is very addictive, including due to its greater visibility. When you see that in order to achieve the result there is, for example, 2,000 more steps left, then you try to arrange a short walk for yourself. Oddly enough, smartwatches can be motivating, if, of course, you have the desire to lead a more active lifestyle.
Sports activities
A pedometer is just the basic functionality of a smartwatch. But in a model like the Gear S3, it is supplemented by the ability to track sports. The watch has a built-in GPS module, which allows you to more accurately measure the distance covered, for example, while running, and also to run without a smartphone. In total, the Gear S3 can track 15 exercises, including those on a machine. There is also an item for "other" physical activity, that is, for those exercises that are not singled out separately.
All results are synchronized by S Health, so you can later view them on your smartphone. With the Gear S3, I've mostly been running outdoors, so I'll focus on that functionality. And in watches it turned out to be at the level of such popular running apps as Runkeeper, Endomondo, Nike + Run Club, Runtastic and others. The Gear S3 also tracks distance, time, and pace, but the watch measures your heart rate and gives you hints as you exercise. For example, the Gear S3 tells you when you need to speed up or, on the contrary, slow down, depending on your running goal.
Heart rate while running is measured relatively accurately, but only if the watch is correctly fixed. They should be at least two centimeters from your wrist and fit snugly against your skin. In this case, the error in comparison with the chest straps will be small, and it will be possible to build on this data while running, choosing a pace that will allow you not to go beyond the comfortable heart rate zone.
All information from a run is saved in S Health, where the user can see the elapsed time, distance, pace, route on the map, as well as speed, heart rate and climbs.
In general, running with the Gear S3 is convenient, you can leave your smartphone at home and listen to music through wireless headphones directly from the watch, having previously downloaded music files to them. In addition, the functionality of S Health is almost in no way inferior to specialized programs for joggers.
Applications
One of the most important functions of smartwatches is support for third-party programs that extend their functionality. Since Samsung smartwatches run on its own Tizen platform, which was previously not famous for the large number of available applications. Nevertheless, now the situation has begun to be corrected, and especially in terms of programs that allow you to work with local services, or receive local information. So what can you use on the Gear S3?
For a start, it's worth noting the standard programs. Right out of the box, the watch allows you to view the calendar, create reminders, view the weather forecast and world clock. In addition, they show notifications and messages from your smartphone, and also allow you to receive and make calls. But this already fairly broad functionality can be extended through third-party applications.
It so happened that I used programs on the Gear S3, which can be roughly divided into three categories: transport, finance, delivery. Let's see what turned out to be in each of them.
Transport
Uber and Uklon
These applications allow you to call a taxi in just a couple of clicks without taking your smartphone out of your pocket. At the same time, it is worth praising Uklon, their program is more convenient and works faster.
Yandex.Transport
The program shows the nearest stops, public transport that stops at them, the frequency with which it runs, as well as the waiting time for the nearest bus or trolleybus. Unfortunately, this is all the functionality of the application on the Gear S3, and it does not allow you to see which route the vehicle is taking. Nevertheless, sometimes it helps to get to the desired point in the city.
Yandex.Navigator
A very loud name for a program that simply shows on the clock the level of traffic jams in the city. That's right, there is no navigation in this application, but it shows the traffic congestion and makes a projection on them for several hours ahead.
Finance
"Privat24"
Application for PrivatBank clients, which allows you to view your current and bonus accounts, see the latest card withdrawals. Most importantly, it can turn the Gear S3 into a payment card that works over NFC. If you select the appropriate settings on your smartphone, you can use the watch to pay for purchases by touching the watch to a compatible terminal. I have a MasterCard so I couldn't check if this works with Visa.
The program allows you to find the nearest ATMs and see where they are on the map. In this case, you can select in the settings which banks ATMs should be shown.
"Currency FinanceUA"
A convenient application with which you can quickly view the current exchange rates on the interbank market, in banks and exchange offices.
Portmone
The program allows you to quickly replenish a mobile number or pay a bill from previously saved templates.
Delivery
"Nova Poshta"
Delivery service application, through which you can find out where the package is, call a courier or show a loyalty card.
In the end, I note that almost all local applications for the Gear S3 can be called useful, since they allow you to shift some of the smartphone's tasks to the watch and solve them without taking it out of your pocket.
Eventually
Like me and, in my opinion, the Samsung Gear S3 is the best smartwatch for Android so far. For me, the main ones were fitness and sports functions, as well as applications from local services. It will be good if Samsung continues to develop its line in this direction. I hope this material helped to understand what smartwatches in general can be useful for, and Gear S3 in particular.
Smart watch Samsung Gear S3 frontier
Well, now I have my favorite dial - this one, it is called S3Illuminator24h. Very user-friendly and intuitive.
Swipe from top to bottom - quick toggle area.
Turning the cogwheel counterclockwise - notifications. Moreover, they are very convenient to view. For example, a letter notification.
Tap on the screen - and the whole letter can be scrolled and read using the wheel.
Turning the wheel clockwise - widgets of various applications. Tap on the widget - call up extended information and, possibly, icons of various actions (as, for example, in the phone application). Weather.
Contacts - there you can view a contact, make a call, send an SMS.
Reminders.
Calendar entries.
Kilocalories spent (tracking physical activity of various types).
Step counter.
Barometer and altimeter. By the way, the barometer does not have units of "millimeters of mercury", there are only hPa and inches of mercury, which, in general, is not particularly good.
Samsung news app.
Media player. Can play audio tracks both from a smartphone and from the watch itself (the icon on the top right switches the source of the tracks). From the watch itself, it reproduces very competently (not like in Android Wear). Shows a list of tracks, allows you to create playlists, sort by albums and artists. Songs are downloaded to the watch from a smartphone from the Samsung Gear app wirelessly.
Heart rate measurement. It can be carried out automatically from time to time. But the sensor, as usual in a watch, does not very accurately determine, and if the hand is also sweaty, then it messes up specifically.
The calendar.
Well, there is also a list of various widgets that you can set: alarm clock, world clock, and so on.
The top button works as a return to the dial, the bottom button calls applications. They do not fit on one desktop, there is a special icon that calls the next desktop with applications.
Phone application. There is a call log, you can call a subscriber, dial a number.
Dialing a number.
Let me remind you that there is a speaker and a microphone, so you can safely answer calls that come to your smartphone right from the watch. Tracking physical activity.
There are a lot of interesting things in the settings. And there is a "Do not disturb" mode set directly on the watch, which is important.
Find My Phone app - makes a call on your phone.
The activity tracking mode is very cool. The watch detects the type of activity and records its duration. At the same time, they periodically encourage them with messages "Keep it up", and at the end of the walk they express all sorts of compliments.
They also know how to track sleep patterns and the next morning they show you what time you fell asleep, what time you woke up and how much you slept. Which, in general, is also quite interesting.
For several years now, smartphone manufacturers have been trying to gain a foothold in the watch market, and watch companies have been trying to expand the functionality of standard accessories. And if for the latter it is just an attempt to find a new market not to the detriment of the main sales, then for the former, not everything is so smooth.
Most recently Motorola (Lenovo) refused to release smartwatches, Pebble was sold to Fitbit and will not produce wearable accessories either. In fact, there are two strong players on the market that do not throw the watch business - Apple and Samsung.
Both companies have recently introduced new generations of smartwatches. "Apple" company in September Watch series 2, and a week earlier its top-end wearable gadget Gear S3 Samsung.
We have tested both versions Gear S3 - Classic and Frontier... Their only difference for Belarusians is the design (Frontier, in addition, received 4G support due to the so-called eSIM, but we do not have them yet).
Left - Gear S3 Classic, right - Gear S3 Frontier. See the table below for device specifications:
| Display | 1,3 ″, SAMOLED, 360 × 360 pixels |
| CPU | dual-core, 1 GHz |
| RAM | 768 MB |
| Persistent memory | 4 GB, of which 3.5 GB is available |
| Wireless Modules | Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, Wi-Fi b / g / n, NFC |
| Sensors | gyroscope, accelerometer, heart rate sensor, barometer, altimeter |
| Water and dust resistant | IP68 |
| Battery | 380 mAh, 3-4 days of work |
| Dimensions (edit) | 46 x 49 x 12.9 mm |
| Weight | 63/59 grams (Frontier / Classic) |
| Compatibility | Android 4.4 and above, 1.5 GB RAM |
Design: the watch is not for girls
Samsung, like Apple, is heading in the right direction with smartwatches that look as close as possible to regular watches. Indeed, in the age of cell phones, watches have partially lost their main function, acting more as an accessory.
Everything is fine here. The brutal matte black metal cases of the Frontier and Classic in polished metal look great and expensive. Notice how the buttons and bezels are worked out in both models:
A plus of the devices are interchangeable straps of a standard size (22 mm). Thus, you can choose this part to your taste, even if you do not like the options offered by the manufacturer.
The watch we tested featured a polyurethane designer strap from Arik Levy (for the Frontier) and a classic black leather strap (for the Classic).
As for the design of the dial, it’s probably hard not to find something for yourself. Apart from a few pre-installed options, there is a huge app store with free and paid options. Most of them can be additionally customized (for example, choose a color scheme and font).
Watch faces are downloaded using a smartphone (via the Samsung Gear app). You can choose one of the preinstalled / downloaded options both through a smartphone and directly on the watch (with a long tap on the screen).
A fly in the ointment is the size of a watch. If they look harmonious on a man's hand, then most girls will clearly prefer a more compact version.
The watch looks very bulky on the girl's hand. In this regard, Apple wins, offering customers two sizes for each variant of its watch.
And here's how this watch looks next to the rather large "regular" Fossil:
Convenient control and pairing with a smartphone
For the second consecutive generation of Samsung smartwatches, it supports control using a rotating bezel above the display and two physical buttons on the right side. This option is also convenient for people with thumbs in the winter season (you do not need to take off your gloves).
In addition, no one bothers to use the touchscreen for control, however, in our opinion, the use of the bezel and buttons is still more convenient.
That is why menus, standard and downloadable programs and games have been adapted to fit the bezel. You don't have to use the screen very often on your watch.
There were no problems with the connection to the smartphone either. All you need is an Android gadget (version 4.4 KitKat and above) with 1.5 GB of RAM, not necessarily made by Samsung, and the Samsung Gear app, which can be downloaded from Google Play.
Screen, battery and water protection
Before moving on to the most important thing, a few words about the screen and the battery.
The screen is very bright and contrasting - Super AMOLED, after all, is easy to read even outdoors on a sunny day (yes, we found such a day in December). In normal mode, nothing is displayed on it, but when you turn the dial towards you - the standard movement to view the time - the screen lights up.
In addition, there is an Always On mode - when the time on the watch is constantly displayed (with dimmed brightness), however, in this case, the battery consumption is much faster. Given the good gesture triggering, there is no need for it.
By the way, about the battery life. Samsung promises 3-4 days on a single charge, and it really is.
We tried the watch in two modes. In the first case, it is very active use: replies to notifications, including using voice dialing, hands-free calls, downloading and choosing dials, games and the work of built-in applications. In this case, the gadget lasted a little over 3 days.
In normal mode: viewing the time and notifications, a couple of hands-free calls (convenient in the car), an alarm / calendar and 20 minutes of games - the watch was able to withstand about 4.5 days. In both cases, the Always On feature was not used.
So you can fully count on 3 days of work even with the most active use of the Samsung Gear S3. By the way, there is a power saving mode that limits the operation of modules and makes the picture black and white.
Another important point is full protection of the device from moisture ingress - IP68. So they are not afraid of heavy rain, shower or pool.
What can the most advanced Samsung smartwatches do?
Almost everything that a regular smartphone can do, minus video viewing, plus a more convenient fitness component.
Heart rate sensor in Samsung Gear S3. The clock replaces the main gadget so much that during testing I left the smartphone on the table a couple of times. Fortunately, the watch vibrates when you move away from the paired device.
Using the watch, you can receive and make calls, write and read SMS messages or e-mail, reply to messages in instant messengers, including using your voice (very convenient while driving, the recognition quality is high).
In the watch, you can create reminders and view the calendar, use a calculator and currency converter, listen to music - both from a smartphone and from the internal memory (initially about 3 GB free), watch the weather forecast and the latest news (through the built-in application).
There are even a few simple games here - in case your smartphone runs out of power, and even a browser.
You can access the Internet using your smartphone or directly from your watch (via the built-in Wi-Fi module). True, such web browsing is very uncomfortable for the eyes due to the very small image size:
Thanks to the built-in GPS, altimeter and heart rate sensor, the watch becomes an excellent assistant for fitness - you don't need a smartphone with it while jogging (you can listen to music through Bluetooth headphones from the built-in memory). In addition, the gadget signals a too high heart rate during exercise.
But even if you are not a fan of jogging, the gadget will not allow you to constantly sit or lie down, periodically demanding to move. There is even a "motivational note" here - the clock is "happy" when you get up or when you set a record for the number of floors covered on foot (yes, the Gear S3 counts floors).
What is missing here (and not needed, given the specifics of the device) is a video player.
Should or shouldn't you buy the Gear S3 smartwatch?
In Belarus, the new Samsung smart watch was estimated at 750 rubles (7.5 million in the old way, or $ 385). The main competitor - Apple watches - cost from 715 rubles for the simplest 42-mm version of Watch edition 1 or 1100 rubles for Watch edition 2. Thus, despite the high cost, Samsung's offer is very competitive.
Regular watches versus Smart option
For the same money (and even much cheaper) you can buy ordinary watches of well-known watch brands with good design. Should you pay extra for smart functionality? The question is complex.
I am glad that the latest versions of Samsung smartwatches have become similar to regular watches. Now users don't have to pay a lot of money for a plastic trinket. It is also good that the Korean company uses standard 22 mm straps in this watch.
As for the dial, it certainly looks better in a regular watch. However, in the Gear S3 (and other smartwatches), you have the ability to change it every 10 seconds.
The big disadvantage of smart watches is that they need to be constantly charged (this process takes a couple of hours), and if you forget to do this, they turn into just an expensive accessory on your wrist. It's good that the Gear S3 lasts much longer without charging the Apple Watch (about twice).
Complete wireless charger for Samsung Gear S3. Smart watch vs smartphone
Why do we need a smart watch if they simply duplicate (and not always fully) the functionality of a smartphone in a pocket or purse?
The watch will not let you forget your smartphone at home or at work, it will not let you miss a call, it will allow you to look at and answer an incoming message if it’s inconvenient to do this on your smartphone at the moment, and will completely take over the fitness component (including its motivational part).
On the other hand, most of these amenities are covered by much cheaper fitness bracelets (which, however, do not look so solid).
Samsung's smartwatch is excellent. Here and an attractive design, and ease of management, and ample opportunities, and a long battery life.
However, before buying a rather expensive (but only auxiliary) gadget, you need to weigh the degree of its usefulness for yourself.
We are grateful to Samsung for providing the Gear S3 smartwatch for testing.
Contents of delivery
- Strap
- Instructions
- Charging station
Specifications
- Screen 1.3 inches, 360x360 pixels, SuperAMOLED, Corning® Gorilla® Glass SR +, glove mode
- Battery built-in Li-Pol 380 mAh, up to four days of work
- Tizen OS
- Dimensions - 46x46x12.9 mm, weight 57 and 62 grams (Classic / Frontier)
- Silicone or leather strap, 22 mm, any strap fits
- IP68 water and dust resistant, MIL-810G (Frontier, vibration, shock and temperature resistant)
- Heart rate sensor
- Voice control S Voice, updated version
- Samsung Pay (does not work on watches in Russia)
- SOS mode, messaging to emergency numbers
- Barometer, altimeter, speedometer
- S Health
- 3G / 4G, eSIM (Frontier model only)
- 768 MB RAM, 4GB internal storage
- BT 4.2, Wi-Fi b / g / n, USB 2.0, NFC, MST, GPS / Glonass
- Dual-core 1 GHz processor
- Navigation Here
Positioning
Exactly the same as a year or two ago, it is necessary to answer the question, why do we need smart watches, for whom they were created. The market for smartwatches has not become massive, a negligible amount is sold per year compared to smartphones, the numbers differ by orders of magnitude. For example, in the third quarter of 2016, about 2.7 million hours were shipped to the channels (IDC data), and even less were sold. For comparison, in the same quarter, smartphones were delivered about 350 million units.
In my opinion, there are exactly two reasons for this situation. The first and the main one is that many companies created smart watches without looking at the watch market. Remember the first generations of Gear watches, their design could be called anything, but not classic for a watch. But that was some three years ago!
Samsung went through the search for the right form factor, essential features for the watch, changing several generations of Gear watches along the way. The same Apple in many ways borrowed the ideas of Samsung for the Apple Watch, already following the beaten track. I am sure that after some time they will also borrow those ideas that are embedded in the Gear S3.
The Gear S3 model is divided into two devices - Classic and Frontier. The relatively “junior” model looks a little smaller, lacks the military protection standard MIL-810G (shock, temperature, vibration), there is no built-in 3G / 4G module with an eSIM card (not supported in Russia). But otherwise these watches are identical and offer the same set of features. The differences lie in the design and if the cost of the watch is equal, they will choose what they like best. This is an uncommon approach for electronics manufacturers, usually the more features, the more cost. But not here. Now Samsung is trying to adopt the approach of watch companies, which prioritizes design and only then additional functions. For the first time, Samsung hired a watch designer to develop a watch, Yvan Arpa was involved in the creation of the Gear S3, he is an outstanding personality in every sense. Someone considers him a temporary worker, someone, on the contrary, admires his ability to outrageous, which is only worth a watch with fossilized dinosaur feces. But I love what he does in the Spero Lucem collection, not only watches, but also handles and knives. You can look at these items.
Ivan Arpa approached the creation of the Gear S3 from the standpoint of a watch; smart functions were taken into consideration as a second priority. And for the first time a Gear line has a watch that is typical of Swiss manufacturers, not electronics makers.
Previous Gear S2s were made in the style of regular watches, but they clearly lacked attention to detail, any comparison with even entry-level Swiss models betrayed that the Gear was created by an electronics manufacturer. This feeling is difficult to describe, you just feel the weight of the watch on your wrist, how the material is processed, which seems to be the same, but feels completely different. However, the Gear S2's design was liked by many and was seen as a step in the right direction.
The Gear S3 takes it one step further and for the first time a Samsung watch looks and feels like a Swiss watch, without any discounts or assumptions. Not the most expensive models, but they are quite comparable with the same Tag Heuer Connected, there is no difference between them.
Now a few words about what is happening with the "old" watch. Samsung has completely changed the approach to these accessories, now they have a maximum life cycle and it is not determined by these or those functions, in the days of Gear 2 the functionality was already at its maximum. From now on, new models expand the line, but do not replace the devices that already existed before them. So, Gear S2 / S2 Classic do not disappear from the market, they remain in the line of devices from Samsung. That is, the company will continue to release, sell, and are slated to coexist with the Gear S3. At the same time, the Gear S3 is positioned higher than any previous watch from Samsung.
Compared to Gear S2
We see Samsung's approach to watch companies, new watches in the updated design do not replace the previous ones, but complement the line and exist simultaneously. This approach is not typical for electronics manufacturers.
The positioning of the Gear S3 is very simple - the audience for this watch will be both technology enthusiasts, they have always chosen the Gear line, but also ordinary users who choose watches and look at both smart electronics and ordinary watch brands. Perhaps for the first time, Samsung has a chance to expand the potential audience of smartwatches, since this model is perceived quite differently than everything that was before.
Design, Materials & Hardware - Classic vs. Frontier
The first thing you pay attention to is that the watches have become more massive, while the case size in both models is the same - 46x46x12.9 mm, the strap is 22 mm standard, you can use any straps from watch manufacturers. If the S2 used its own latch, then there is nothing of the kind. In the photo you can see the old latch.
And this is how the new strap looks like, which can be made of any materials - rubber, silicone, leather, and so on.
The choice of additional straps is huge, and you can use a strap from any manufacturer.
Exactly the same 316L steel is used as in the Gear S2, but the case has become more massive, and the watch looks noticeably better on the wrist.
We left the rotating bezel (bezel), it serves as a control element, while it was made ribbed, which is not bad. Both versions of the watch support the IP68 standard, but the Frontier model also adds protection against temperature, shock, vibration, all at the level of military standards. That is, if the Classic is a typical watch, then the Frontier is made non-kill (MIL-810G standard. The watch is protected from impacts on stones and other objects, suitable for active sports.
The weight of the watch is 57 or 62 grams (without a strap, the Frontier is heavier), which is not much in comparison with conventional mechanics, but the watch is felt on the wrist, and its weight is pleasant, a sort of golden mean. The clasp is comfortable, no complaints.
If in the previous generation the screen was 1.2 inches, then here it is 1.3 inches, but the resolution for the sake of application compatibility was left the same - 360x360 pixels. The AlwaysOn Display function is supported, that is, the screen can work all the time! According to preliminary data, with this function the watch will work for about 2 days. The screen is covered with Corning® Gorilla® Glass SR +. The glass is resistant to everyday scratches and is difficult to damage. From additional chips - you can turn on the increased sensitivity of the screen in the menu, then it will support pressing with gloves.
The larger body made it possible to increase the size of the battery, now it is 380 mAh, as before, wireless charging is supported using the cradle that is included in the package. Charging time is about two hours.
Gear S3 and Gear S2
On average, these hours work up to 4 days, depending on what notifications and how often you receive, what functions you use. With maximum screen illumination, hourly conversations, they usually work for two full days (synchronization is also enabled for everything, both via bluetooth and WiFi).
The side keys on the Classic are simpler and less comfortable.
Whereas on the Frontier they are ribbed and therefore press perfectly.
As before, a dual-core processor with a maximum frequency of 1 GHz is used, but the amount of RAM has grown from 512 MB to 768 MB (Tizen 2.3.2). While the Classic has support for Bluetooth® 4.2, Wi-Fi b / g / n, NFC, MST, GPS / Glonass, then Frontier also adds a 3G / 4G module (eSIM, support depends on the operator). In Russia, the watch does not support eSIM, nor does it support Samsung Pay.
The heart rate sensor has been updated in the watch, another module is used, it is located under the glass on the inside. The new sensor is less sensitive to shaking and can be used during training and running.
Separately, I note the return of hardware GPS / Glonass, respectively, there is a full-fledged navigation right in the watch, without a companion smartphone. The cards are, as before, Here.
Among the new features, I note the presence of two side buttons that can be configured to call the necessary functions. Also, most of the menu is redrawn for the use of the rim, for example, answering a call, hanging up, and the like. But the most important thing, in my opinion, is that now again, like in Gear 2, you can talk for hours. This is especially interesting in the Frontier, which de facto turn into a phone with a working eSIM card. Many Gear 2 users have not changed their watches to Gear S2 due to the lack of GPS, the inability to take notes by voice and talk on the phone, now this shortcoming has been eliminated.
The SOS function allows you to transmit your coordinates and message to the specified numbers (Frontier), this was not on the previous models.
Another curious point - in addition to hardware GPS, this watch has a hardware barometer, an altimeter, which are used in sports applications (tilt, distance traveled uphill), and can also predict the weather locally. The speedometer shows your current speed.
For those who do not want to take out the phone to create a reminder, there is an opportunity to write a reminder by hand on the screen, it will be recognized and translated into text.
Interface, work with the clock, preinstalled programs
Circle UI, sometimes called Round UI. The logic of the watch is built around the control with the bezel. So, scroll the screens with the rim, by default they show you the time. Rotate to the right and see your own widgets, which you installed for the applications you need. Rotate to the left and in front of you are various notifications from the phone; in standby mode, a yellow dot shows that there are new messages.
You can get to the circular menu for applications by pressing the lower button, exit to the upper level is carried out by the upper key. Your applications are located in the menu, and there may be several circles with them. You yourself sort out where and how to place the shortcuts, so that it is convenient for you.
Having found the desired item, icon, you click on it, then you can scroll through the list with a rim or scroll the page. For example, when reading a website or mail, you twist a sheet with a rim. This is good because it saves time, you do not close the screen and you can always see the information. You have to understand that no one will read the treatises on the watch, it can be an SMS or something small, but not noticeable in size.
There are already over ten thousand watch apps out there, but most of them are simply not needed. And attempts to find the announced 10,000 applications in the store turned into a complete fiasco, on the strength of several hundred, most of which are design options for the main screen with a dial. The number of applications is growing from year to year, but there are almost no really needed ones, the watch has everything from the beginning.
Pay attention to how the default dials look like, each of them can be further customized, changed colors, for example, from black to white and vice versa.
Notifications come to the watch in the usual manner, plus there is S Health (the watch can measure steps, heart rate (both constantly and on demand). As a sports watch, the Gear S3 is noticeably better than the previous Gear S2, it fits the hand more tightly because of this, the pulse, including during active games or jogging.
There is an interesting thing in S Health, now you can compete with your friends, which of you will take the most steps. And the watch has a widget that shows your progress. Interesting and motivating thing.
In addition to steps and distance traveled, the watch also counts how many floors you have walked, and can measure altitude (this is where an altimeter came in handy).
In the previous model, my gripe was S Voice and how it works. Recognizing the voice in Russian was a painful task, but in S3 this moment was greatly tweaked. The bad news is that S Voice works only with Samsung phones, although the watch can be connected to any Android smartphone. From good - the quality of voice recognition has become very decent. And again about sad things - in a crowd or on the street, the watch microphone reacts to extraneous sounds and therefore you can use S Voice only in a quiet room, in other cases there are many false positives or it simply works incorrectly.
It's very easy to deal with the watch, but there are questions about how to view the gallery (photos become round), and the gallery view painfully resembles a cloud of icons on the Apple Watch. Despite the fact that there is 4 GB of memory inside, only 200 photos from the gallery can be copied to the phone.
Navigation works on Here maps, everything is quite simple, including routes (on foot, by bike or by car, with approximate travel time) are shown. Nothing special, it is unlikely that such navigation will be in demand among ordinary people.
Music can be controlled right from the watch, and you can also load your songs into the Gear S3's memory. If you want, you can connect a wireless headset directly to the watch, then you don't need a phone to listen to music.
Look at the remaining possibilities in the screenshots, I think they will describe themselves what the watch can do, I will not dwell on ordinary functions.
On your smartphone, you install Gear Manager, which allows you to completely customize your watch, and from there you can also get full access to the app store.
