All you need to know about the three most popular smartwatches
The market for wearable devices is swelling up. Global shipments for wearables will likely exceed 19 million units in 2014 and 111.9 million units in 2018, according to IDC. While some tech giants are focusing on fitness bands, others are launching smartwatches. Here is all you want to know about the three most popular smartwatches.
Samsung Gear S
Operating System: Tizen-based wearable platform. Samsung claims 1,000 apps to be compatible.
Compatibility: Pairs over Bluetooth 4.0 and compatible with Android smartphones. However, it is not clear yet whether it will work only with Galaxy smartphones.
Feature: Supports voice calls, includes QWERTY keyboard for typing emails and messages, and Samsung's S Health for tracking heart rate. It will offer turn-by-turn navigation and news updates using apps. It is also reported to have a SIM slot at the back.
Input: Supports voice commands using S Voice, has a touch interface and a small physical button at the front to get apps and sub-menu.
Price: No word on pricing. The Gear S will be rolled out globally in phases in October.
Apple Watch
Design: It has a square face made of sapphire glass with rounded corners. It comes in two sizes and three editions with a variety of material and faces.
Operating System: iOS offers a lot more than just pinch and zoom.
Compatibility: Works only with iPhone.
Feature: Press two fingers on the screen to measure heart rate, use fingers to sketch. Activity app tracks movements, calories burnt and time spent standing.
Input: There is a digital crown for scroll, zoom and navigate. Siri, Apple's voice assistant software, helps replying to text messages and more.
Price: $349 onwards (about Rs 21,000). It will be on sale in the US in early 2015. No word on India launch yet.
Moto 360
Operating System: Android Wear. The platform has been designed for wearables to transfer information from the phone to the wrist.
Compatibility: Works with Android 4.3 or higher and pairs with Bluetooth 4.0.
Feature: Offers timely updates on weather, flight alerts, and traffic and can even fetch feeds. Receives notifications on incoming calls and tracks steps and heart rate.
Input: Touch and voice. The "Ok Google" that worked flawlessly on Moto X is here to send text messages, set reminder, check weather and even ask for directions.
Price: Set to be rolled out in a few days, the launch price is expected to be between Rs 16,000 and Rs 20,000.
