Samsung officially unveiled its latest smartwatch today, the Galaxy Watch Active 2, boasting a wealth of features including a new touch-sensitive bezel and an ECG.
To cut to the chase, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 will be available to buy starting September 27 although pre-orders will open on September 6. Those who pre-order will be gifted a free wireless charger.
In line with previous expectations, there will be a choice of two sizes available, consisting of a 40mm option with a 1.2-inch display and a 44mm model with a 1.4-inch display. Both sizes tout the same Super AMOLED, full color Always On Display with a 360 x 360 resolution, and protection by Gorilla Glass DX+.
Pricing for the 40mm model starts at $279.99 in the U.S., with the 44mm version starting at $299.99.
In addition, Samsung is also making the Galaxy Watch Active 2 available as an LTE version for those looking for more of a standalone, connected on-the-go experience. The LTE version is also expected to go on sale on September 27.
Size is not the only choice on offer here, as each size will also be available in two different styles with the exception of the LTE model as this will only available in stainless steel.
Non-LTE buyers can opt for a lightweight model featuring aluminum, a fluoroelastomer band, and the choice of either Cloud Silver, Aqua Black, or Pink Gold colors.
Alternatively, non-LTE buyers can go for the premium style featuring stainless steel and a leather strap – available in Silver, Black and Gold.
It seems neither of these options are static as buyers will additionally have the option to change up the style at a later time thanks to the “range of additional stylish straps and watch face options” that are also set to become available to buy.
The rotating bezel goes digital
Samsung has now confirmed the Galaxy Watch Active 2 sees a return of the rotating bezel although not in the traditional sense. Building off the physical rotating bezel that was made famous by previous Samsung smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 draws on a digital feature to achieve the same results.
Basically, the outside of the display is touch-sensitive now and users can swipe clockwise or counterclockwise to control various elements of the operating system – in this case, One UI.
More focus on health
In another example of building off previous models, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 places a good amount of focus on health-related features and benefits.
Prior to the official announcement, it had been rumored the Galaxy Watch Active 2 would come with some new advanced health features and that rumor seems to have panned out with Samsung now confirming the Galaxy Watch Active 2 features an ECG heart rate tracker.
This is in addition to the more common smartwatch health features, such as exercise, sleep and stress monitoring and tracking. While the inclusion of the ECG marks a first for a Samsung smartwatch, it’s worth pointing out that Samsung says the Galaxy Watch Active 2 comes loaded with “innovative new health sensors” in general and so a boost in performance should be expected across the board, including faster readings overall.
Most of these features are designed to work with Samsung’s own Samsung Health app, but adding to its compatibility is Calm app integration. The aim here is to provide increased aid with sleep and meditation.
Everything else you need to know
This wouldn’t be a Samsung product if it didn’t come filled to the brim with features and supports and so the feature list does not end there. Besides the rotating bezel and health and wellness-related benefits, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 also comes with greater Spotify integration, real-time voice and text translation (currently limited to sixteen languages), while those that are even further embedded within the wider Samsung ecosystem can expect to do even more with the new smartwatch – thanks to Bixby, SmartThings, and Samsung Pay.
Speaking of the wider Samsung ecosystem, Samsung smartphone owners also get their own features reserved just for them, including the option to control various aspects of the smartphone camera experience. Take this to mean taking photos, recording video or previewing media on the Galaxy Watch Active 2 smartwatch.
Here’s the full specs
- Display
44mm: 1.4-inch (34mm) 360 x 360 Super AMOLED, full color Always On Display, Corning Gorilla Glass DX+
40mm: 1.2-inch (30mm) 360 x 360 Super AMOLED, full color Always On Display, Corning Gorilla Glass DX+ - Chipset: Exynos 9110 Dual core 1.15 GHz
- OS: Tizen (One UI)
- Charging: Wireless
- Battery
44mm: 340mAh
40mm: 247mAh - Memory
Standard: 768MB RAM + 4GB storage
LTE: 1.5GB RAM + 4GB storage - Connectivity: LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n, NFCA-GPS/GLONASS/Beidou
- Sensors: Heart Rate Monitoring (with 8 Photodiodes), Electrocardiogram (ECG), Accelerometer (measure up to 32g of force), Gyroscope, Barometer, Ambient Light
- Durability: 5ATM, IP68, MIL-STD-810G
- Compatibility: Android 5.0 or higher, iOS 9.0 or above
- Dimensions
Aluminum 44mm: 44 x 44 x 10.9
Aluminum 40mm: 40 x 40 x 10.9
Stainless Steel 44mm: 44 x 44 x 10.9
Stainless Steel 40mm: 40 x 40 x 10.9 - Weight
Aluminum 44mm: 30g
Aluminum 40mm: 26g
Stainless Steel 44mm: 44g
Stainless Steel 40mm: 37g - Colors
Aluminum: Cloud Silver, Aqua Black, Pink Gold with Fluoroelastomer (FKM).
Stainless Steel: Silver, Black, Gold with Leather strap - Straps
44mm: 20mm interchangeable
40mm: 20mm interchangeable
