Samsung Gear Fit Fitness Tracker

Samsung's Gear Fit Isn't Just a Fitness Band — It's a Smartwatch, Too

by Nicole Nguyen 2/24/14 23 Reactions 186 Shares Print

Samsung is jumping into the wearable fitness tech game with its latest announcement, the Gear Fit. The new device, which launches globally on April 11, can track its wearer's every movement with an accelerometer, gyro, and heart-rate sensor. It's an activity tracker, stopwatch, timer, and smartwatch in one device. There's even coaching software built into the watch that tells wearers when they need to speed up or slow down during workouts.

The Gear Fit is, of course, meant to be paired via Bluetooth with Galaxy phones, including the new Galaxy S5. With its curved, super AMOLED touchscreen 1.84-inch display, Samsung's new wearable is essentially a lighter, slimmed-down version of the recently updated Gear 2 smartwatch. Like the Gear 2, the Gear Fit can also display notifications like incoming calls, emails, texts, alarms, and calendar events.

Its changeable strap, available in gray, black, and orange, is hypoallergenic, so no need to worry about Fitbit Force-induced skin irritation. Battery life is about three to four days, and the watch itself is dust and water resistant. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, so stay tuned for more updates.

In terms of wearable tech, Samsung is now positioning itself ahead of Apple, which has yet to unveil its long rumored iWatch. Will Apple respond with fitness tech of its own? We shall see.