When Samsung announced the Galaxy S5, they also announced their newest line of smartwatches and wearable technology, the Gear 2 line up. Bringing more diversity to the expensive Galaxy Gear, Samsung announced the Gear 2, the Gear 2 Neo and the Gear Fit. Both the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo are running Tizen – Samsung’s own operating system based on Linux – and the Gear Fit is running a low-power operation system designed to keep chugging along for hours on end. All three devices build on what Samsung announced last year in the Galaxy Gear, and it’s safe to say that this year’s options are much better than last year’s.
Now, all three of Samsung’s latest wearables are up for pre-order from Amazon. The Gear 2 is available in a wide range of colors including Black, Gray, Titan Silver and Orange (my favorite is the Orange) and can be pre-ordered for $299. Coming in at a hundred bucks cheaper is the Gear 2 Neo, which loses the camera from the Gear 2, yet still features much the same functionality. That too, is available in Black, Gray, Titan Silver and Orange, and is up pre-order for $199. Shifting gears a little (get it?), is the Gear Fit which is more fitness tracker than smartwatch, but pulls a double-shift thanks to its curved display that shows incoming notifications as well as the time. Right now, it looks like Samsung is only listing the black version, and it can pre-ordered for the same as the Gear 2 Neo, for $199 from Amazon.
As with last year’s Galaxy Gear, you’ll need a compatible Galaxy smartphone to use any of these three guys, which right now means the Galaxy S5, and nothing else. So, we guess it’s a good job they’re both coming out on April 11th then, right? The Gear 2 Neo is of particular interest to us here, as many users simply didn’t appreciate the camera, so Samsung has cleverly cut the cost for those that don’t want such a feature. Let us know if the Gear 2 family is on your list in the comments below.