Apple, Samsung and LG: Smartwatch Showdown Set for Early September Samsung and LG have announced new smartwatch launches on the heels of reports that Apple will unveil a long-awaited wearable on September 9.
By Geoff Weiss
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Samsung has officially issued a call to arms -- or, rather, a call to wrists -- in a forthcoming smartwatch showdown, following reports that Apple will unveil a long-awaited wearable of its own in just two weeks' time.
The Korean tech giant unveiled late yesterday evening the Samsung Gear S, which features a curved, 2-inch glass display and a SIM card slot. It is the company's first smartwatch to feature a 3G connection (and Bluetooth and WiFi), meaning that users can conduct phone calls directly from their wrists, the company said in a statement.
Alongside Gear S, Samsung also announced the Gear Circle -- a wireless headphone device that can receive calls, play music, obey vocal commands and converts into a vibrating necklace of sorts whenever it's not in use.
Pricing has not been confirmed by Samsung, which noted that both devices will hit shelves in October.
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News of the launches arrives on the heels of reports yesterday that Apple "now plans to unveil a new wearable alongside the two next-generation iPhones…on September 9," according to Recode.
The device would likely utilize Apple's HealthKit and HomeKit platforms for fitness tracking and home monitoring, according to the site.
While speculation has surrounded Apple's smartwatch launch for months, it had previously seemed unlikely that the company might unveil it so soon.
And Korean electronics maker LG is looking to get in on the frenzy of wearable revelations as well. The company announced its more traditional-looking G Watch R, which "boasts a refined aesthetic that is reminiscent of traditional timepieces," LG said. Touting a circular, 1.3-inch face, it bows in the fourth quarter.
