SAMSUNG UNVEILS GALAXY GEAR SMARTWATCH ACCESSORY

 

Samsung has unveiled a smart watch with a colour screen that can show alerts, be used for voice calls and run apps.

The Galaxy Gear had been highly anticipated since the firm is currently the world's best-selling smartphone maker and has beaten Microsoft, Apple and Google to unveil such a device.

Samsung called it a "fashion icon".

However, analysts warned that a decision to limit the watch to working as an accessory to other Galaxy Android devices might limit its appeal.

Samsung has previously said growth in the sales of its handsets was slowing, so investors are eager to see if it can find another successful product.

The Galaxy Gear is being made available with a      range of colourful watch straps

The watch  - which will go on sale from 25 September - at the Ifa consumer tech show in Berlin.

"The introduction of the Galaxy smartwatch comes as no surprise to the industry, which has been expecting Samsung to beat the likes of Apple - as well as watchmakers and other consumer electronics companies - to market," said Chris Green, principal technology analyst at the consultancy Davies Murphy Group.

"Consumers might be a bit disappointed to find that the smartwatch is a partner device reliant on being paired with a Samsung Android smartphone or tablet, rather than being the completely autonomous media and communications device many consumers were expecting and hoping for."

The South Korean firm's approach contrasts with that of Sony, whose forthcoming Smartwatch 2 can be paired with any device running Android 4.0 or higher.

The Galaxy Gear features a 1.6in (4cm) LED display, a 1.9 megapixel camera, a speaker and microphone, has four gigabytes of internal storage and a non-removable battery.

However, of those who already owned a smartwatch or fitness band, more than 40% had stopped using it because they often forgot to put it on or had become bored with the idea.

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"Samsung has a history of latching on to the latest trends and throwing a product into the market to try and get ahead of potential rivals," said CCS Insight's Ben Wood.

"Galaxy Gear is the first attempt but I expect that there will need to be several more iterations before it is something that will will appeal to anyone other than an affluent geek."

Research firm Forrester was equally sceptical.

Samsung suggests the watch can be used as an alternative to a Bluetooth headset to make calls

"The wrist is the one of the most accepted places on the body for consumers to wear a sensor device," said analyst Sarah Rotman Epps.

"[But] there are very few functions you could perform better on a watch than on a phone.

 "Maybe Samsung will tap into unmet demand with this product, disproving naysayers as it did with the Galaxy Note phone which succeeded after many 5in competitors failed.

"But my bet is that smartwatches are sci-fi inventions that are already anachronisms in this modern world."