A wearable device identified by the model number SM-R500 that’s widely believed to be the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Sport has been certified by both the Federal Communications Commission in the United States and South Korea’s NRRA this week. The telecom agency in its home country approved it for release today, whereas the FCC already revealed one of the key selling points of the gadget – wireless charging.
While it’s not surprising to find that feature being part of the new smartwatch package from Samsung, the charger meant to accompany the Galaxy Sport apparently underwent every testing procedure in South Korea, having been approached as an entirely new device instead of a minor revision of an existing solution. The same charger appeared in the database of Russia’s telecom authority which refers to Samsung’s upcoming wearable by the code-name “Pulse” which has already been mentioned by a number of rumors in recent weeks. The charger itself currently bears a provisional moniker of the “TX PAD for Pulse” and will only be available in black, according to the newly reviewed certificates.
Besides the regular SM-R500, Samsung is also expected to launch the SM-R500, which will likely come in the form of a larger Galaxy Sport model with LTE support. The base variant of the wearable runs the latest iteration of the company’s proprietary operating system Tizen and doesn’t accept SIM cards, i.e. is limited to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
Samsung adamant to keep fitness trackers relevant
The Seoul-based firm is presently also working on the SM-R370 and SM-R375, another pair of wearables rumored to be launching in the form of a new series of activity trackers. The Gear brand appears to be heading for retirement as Samsung is trying to consolidate the identities within its vast product and service portfolio so as to make consumers more aware of its varied activities and ultimately continue strengthening its industry-leading brand. In other words, the company’s upcoming wearables are all expected to launch with Galaxy branding prominently attached and be advertised as yet another gadget bound to become an indispensable part of your life.
While Samsung somewhat blended its smartwatches and activity trackers with the 2017 Gear Sport line, it now appears to be preparing to reverse that course of action and once again resolve to release dedicated smart bracelets offering a barebones fitness analytics experience in exchange for a more streamlined interface. At the same time, major industry trackers are claiming activity trackers are on a decline and are being steadily replaced with smartwatches, though Samsung will still be playing it safe this year.
The Galaxy Sport is expected to be officially announced during Samsung‘s next Unpacked event taking place on February 20. The happening will be primarily centered on the Galaxy S10 range of Android flagships which are bound to offer native Galaxy Sport integration, in addition to countless other cutting-edge technologies Samsung has in the works for 2019. At least some Galaxy S10 models are also said to be capable of acting as wireless chargers for the Galaxy Sport, though it’s presently unclear whether that means pass-through charging will be part of the package. The Galaxy Sport and Galaxy S10 families should become available f0r purchase globally by mid-March.