Samsung Announces the Gear 2 and Gear Neo Smartwatches

Samsung’s first proper entry in the smartwatch in recent times might be full of missteps but that hasn’t stopped it from trying.

So about half a year after it announced the Galaxy Gear, here are the Gear 2 and Gear Neo.

And no there’s no typo in here. Samsung has opted for Tizen instead of Android and hence no Galaxy naming. The difference between the two smartwatches is almost negligible with the only difference being the absence of a camera and weight.

The Gears come with a better 1Ghz dual-core processor under the hood, along with the same 512 MB RAM and 4 GB storage. The screen is the same 1.6″ panel though.

The front of the watch comes with a single button this time, along the change in the lens’ position from the strap to the top of the display, which means the band is now changeable.

There is also an increase in their functionality. They can now act as a music player on their own, without the need of being tethered to a phone. Bluetooth 4.0 also allows you to connect a wireless headphone with them.

The watches also come with a heart-rate sensor (perhaps in an effort to compete with Apple ‘s iWatch), IP67 certification meaning they’re water and dust-proof and Infrared for controlling your television.

The Gear 2 also comes with a 2 megapixel camera with 720p HD video. That adds a bit of a heft to it and makes it tips the scales at 68g, compared to the 55g of the Neo.

Unlike the first Gear, the new watches will support “dozens” of Samsung handsets from the get-go. Battery life is also increased to 2-3 days, up from the grand total of one on the first model.

Price and availability details are undisclosed at this moment in time but you should probably watch out in April. Both of ’em will be available in three colors.