Samsung Gear S2 Classic review: Nice try. Learn, Apple!

Samsung wowed us when it unveiled the Gear S2, a fully round Tizen-powered smartwatch with a sleek rotating bezel. At first glance it was impressive, but what about a week of use? Our Samsung Gear S2 review takes you through the performance, software, and specs of the standard and classic models to find out if this smartwatch is good enough to make the switch to Tizen.

Release date and price of Samsung Gear S2

The Samsung Gear S2 US release date was October 2, 2020. The price of the Gear S2 varies by model, with the base model (Gear S2) costing $299 and the Gear S2 Classic costing $349. The 3G-capable Gear S2 works with Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T and US Cellular, and prices start at $359.99.

Versions of the Samsung Gear S2: Gear S2 Classic (left) and Gear S2.

General overview of advantages and disadvantages

Samsung Gear S2 is a well-made, reliable and high-quality device. The attractive and thoughtful design looks stylish on any hand. The versatility and power of the model guarantee stable operation with any application. A fairly long battery life of 3 days is a good indicator for a wearable gadget. The accessory has many advantages:

durable steel body;
high-quality screen with protection;
excellent dust and moisture protection IP68 standard;
long battery life;
many built-in sensors;
built-in audio player;
simple and intuitive interface;
Convenient control using the screen, bezel and buttons.

Minuses:

price;
long charging time;
Compatible only with branded devices.

Design and build quality of Samsung Gear S2

The Samsung Gear S2 comes in three different versions: the standard Gear S2, the Gear S2 Classic, and the Gear S2 3G. Our Gear S2 review focuses on the regular sporty Gear S2 and the more traditional Gear S2 Classic. The Gear S2 3G looks the same as the standard Gear S2. Inside, all three devices are basically identical, except that the Gear S2 3G has an electronic SIM card and speaker for making calls, GPS, and a 20 percent larger battery than the others (300 mAh versus 250 mAh).

All Gear S2 variants are round in shape and have two physical buttons—one for going back and one for going to the home screen or launching the app drawer—and a rotating pad that can be used to navigate the Tizen interface. You can still move between screens and menus, but the rotating frame makes navigation easier. It's a truly intuitive way to use a smartwatch.

The Gear S2 has a physical home and back button.

The classic and standard Gear S2 are made of metal, but the regular S2 has a two-tone matte finish, while the classic has a polished finish. Both watches have Gorilla Glass 3 covering their 1.2-inch AMOLED displays. However, the Gear S2 Classic is designed a little differently than the standard Gear S2.

The main difference is that the Classic model is slightly lighter and slightly thinner than the regular Gear S2, and has a more traditional and less sporty appearance. For example, the bezel area around the display is much less pronounced on the Classic; it's slightly raised on the standard Gear S2, whereas it fits almost perfectly to the display on the Gear S2 Classic. The S2 Classic also has ridges along the edges of the bezel, while the standard S2's bezel is smooth, but both rotate as smoothly as each other.

If you look closely you will see the difference in the rims.

The Gear S2 Classic has a leather strap and buckle with a pin release mechanism similar to Huawei watches. This means that switching bands on the Gear S2 Classic is easy, and you can replace any 20mm band with the one it came with. By the way, there is a spare, shorter strap in the box for those with thinner wrists.

The regular Gear S2 has its own strap mounting mechanism.

The Gear S2 has a rubber band that is just as easy to remove, but it can only be attached to dedicated watch bands. The lugs are another point of difference between the two models. The Gear S2 is slightly shorter than the Classic to accommodate the strap mechanism.

The back of the Gear S2 features a Gorilla Glass 3 panel with a heart rate sensor at the center and a stainless steel body surrounding it. At the very least, this means you shouldn't have any problems with cracks on the back of this watch. Overall, both watches are very well designed and look very good.

The Gear S2 Classic is compatible with any standard 20mm watch band.

Both versions are IP68 certified (but you won't want to put this leather strap in water often) and feature NFC and Wi-Fi. Only the 3G version of the regular Gear S2 has a speaker for making and receiving calls when not tethered to the phone. Both the Gear S2 and Gear S2 Classic sync via a Bluetooth connection to your phone, and while Wi-Fi works great on both devices, there's little reason to use it since it uses more battery power than Bluetooth.

Review of smart watches Samsung Gear S2: fit into the circle

At IFA 2020, Samsung presented the Gear S2 smart watch, which was the first in its line to receive a round screen. For convenient control, this gadget is equipped with a bezel - a rotating ring around the dial. Vesti.Hi-tech found out what other surprises this new product contains.

Generally speaking, the Gear S2 smartwatch comes in three forms: the Gear S2 itself (also called Sport), the Gear S2 Classic and the Gear S2 3G (not available in Russia). The main feature of the latest model is the so-called electronic SIM card (eSIM). In other words, this device is completely self-sufficient in terms of communications. It also uses a more powerful processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8226) and a more capacious battery (300 mAh). The classic version of the Gear S2 Classic watch with a ribbed bezel and a regular leather strap fastening looks a little more strict, if only because of its black color. In addition, among the presented trinity, this device is distinguished by the most compact size and lightest weight. The regular version of the Gear S2, which we got for testing, occupies a middle position in its weight and dimensions, while not differing from the “classic” in terms of filling.

Specifications

Model: Gear S2 (SM-R720)
OS: Tizen
Compatibility: Android devices version 4.4 or higher, minimum 1.5 GB RAM
Processor: Samsung Exynos 3250, 2 cores ARM Cortex-A7, 1 GHz
RAM: 512 MB
Data storage memory: 4 GB
Screen: capacitive, Super AMOLED, 1.2 inches, 360x360 pixels, 302 ppi, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Audio: microphone
Interfaces: Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, NFC
Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, light sensors and heart rate measurements
Features: dust and moisture protection IP68
Battery: non-removable, lithium-ion, 250 mAh; wireless charger
Dimensions: 42.3x49.8x11.4 mm
Weight: 47 g

Contents of delivery

In an almost cubic-shaped cardboard box, in addition to the Gear S2 smart watch itself, it also contains: an additional strap (smaller), a docking station for wireless charging, a network adapter (220V/5V) with a built-in cable and a microUSB connector, as well as documentation . By the way, as for the latter, in our case it turned out to be only in French (maybe the French got the Russian version for the test?)

Appearance

Let us recall that the Gear S smart watch, which debuted a year ago, received a rectangular body with a large, curved screen. The second generation of this device, the Gear S2, at least externally, has little in common with them. This applies not only to the case form factor, but also to the software interface. By the way, even the famous Italian designer Alessandro Mendini was brought in to work on the watch (to design the dials and straps). Once again, it is worth emphasizing that the Gear S2 was the first smart watch with a round screen from Samsung. This form factor brings them closer to the multi-million army of conventional wrist devices for determining the current time. Let us recall that the “round” pioneer among “smart” watches was the Motorola Moto 360.

The main material for the manufacture of the Gear S2 case is alloyed stainless steel AISI 316L, which, generally speaking, has no magnetic properties. The manufacturer does not explain the mechanism for magnetizing the watch to the surface of the docking station for wireless charging. Radio-transparent ceramics cover the antenna locations, and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 is designed to prevent minor damage to the screen. The Gear S2 was released for pre-order in Russia in dark gray and silver colors; we got the gadget in the first color option for testing.

The material from which the straps for new watches are made is stated quite succinctly - elastomer, that is, some kind of polymer with good elastic properties. Most likely, it is silicone rubber (or, as they usually say, silicone). To secure the straps to the case, the Gear S2, unlike the “classic” model, uses special fasteners with latches, so you can no longer use third-party accessories.

The watch itself turned out to be quite small. The dimensions of the case in plan are 42.3x49.8 mm. But its thickness is the same as that of the Motorola Moto 360 (second generation) - 11.4 mm. The main design feature of the new gadget from Samsung is the bezel - a rotating ring around the round screen. By the way, unlike the similar element in the Gear S2 Classic, the ring here is smooth and not ribbed. Rotating the bezel makes it easier to control the watch, in particular, navigate the interface, without having to touch the screen, including, for example, when zooming on maps, scrolling through photos, etc. The rotary ring has a very pleasant, soft stroke, but with a noticeable fixation.

In addition to the bezel, the watch case has two more mechanical controls - the Home/Home and Back buttons. A hole for a microphone was also placed between them on the right edge. At the same time, the left rib was left free.

In the screen area there was a place for a light sensor, and right above the display under the ceramic plate there was a place for an NFC antenna. On the bottom cover of the watch there is a transparent window for a heart rate sensor (pulsometer).

In accordance with the requirements of IP65/IP68 standards, the Gear S2 is reliably protected from dust and moisture. In particular, with complete dust resistance (IP6x), the watch is not afraid of even an hour and a half stay in water at a depth of 1.5 meters (IPx8).

Filling

The Gear S2 smart watch is equipped with a Samsung Exynos 3250 processor operating at a maximum clock frequency of 1 GHz. This die, manufactured to 28mm design standards, contains two ARM Cortex-A7 cores, as well as an ARM Mali-400 MP2 graphics accelerator with two execution units (up to 400 MHz). The base platform is complemented by 512 MB RAM and 4 GB built-in storage. The watch has Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and NFC interface modules. All this runs on the Tizen operating system.

The Gear S2 screen uses a Super AMOLED matrix with a diagonal of 1.2 inches (30.5 mm) and a resolution of 360x360 pixels, which provides a fairly high pixel density per inch of 302 ppi. As already noted, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 is used as a protective glass, which seems to have an oleophobic coating applied to it. Thanks to proprietary technology, this display features bright and rich colors, deep blacks, and low power consumption.

The screen diameter may seem small to some. After all, for example, the second generation Motorola Moto 360 smart watch offers, in addition to a 1.37-inch (35 mm) round screen, a 1.56-inch (40 mm) screen. But this is not for everyone.

The Gear S2 is equipped with the following sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, light sensors and heart rate measurements. By the way, the built-in microphone is not needed for phone calls, but for voice control of the gadget (using S Voice).

Autonomous operation

The smart watch is equipped with a 250 mAh lithium-ion battery, which usually takes about two hours to fill 100%. For charging, a special docking station with an LED indicator is required; the back panel of the watch is attached to a special protrusion on which the back panel of the watch is attached and fixed due to the magnetic properties of the materials. The docking station has a microUSB connector for the power adapter cable (5 V/220 V). The rated input current is 700 mA. This charging principle not only meets the trend of universal wireless technology, but can also be associated with ensuring the dust and moisture resistance of the case. If you do not take this docking station on a long trip, it will simply be impossible to replenish the battery level.

In case of unexpected battery discharge, as well as to increase autonomy, it is recommended to use the power saving mode in the Gear S2 settings, in which almost all functions are disabled, and only notifications of SMS and calls are displayed on the black and white screen. Not too active use of the Gear S2 will allow you to extend the battery life of this watch, perhaps, for a couple of days. As you know, the main contribution to energy consumption is made by the excessive brightness of the display. The smartwatch settings have 10 brightness levels. In addition, you should not abuse the always-on screen mode (usually it turns off literally after a second).

How it works

Today, many manufacturers are leaning towards the Android Wear platform (for example, in the Asus ZenWatch, LG Watch Urbane or Motorola Moto 360), which allows them to count on a wider range of software, including from third-party manufacturers. Samsung has also released smart watches (Gear Live) based on Android Wear. However, the Gear S2, as well as other similar gadgets (Gear S, Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo), run the Tizen operating system.

The new watch from Samsung is compatible not only with Galaxy smartphones, but also with any Android device version 4.4 and higher, equipped with at least 1.5 GB of RAM. In conjunction with the Gear S2, we tried two devices: the brand new Samsung Galaxy Note 5 (Android 5.1.1, 4 GB) and the 5-inch “standard” Google/LG Nexus 5 (Android 6.0, 2 GB).

On the Galaxy Note 5, the Samsung Gear application was already installed, so after downloading the update and additional software, connecting the devices via Bluetooth was a snap.

In the case of Nexus 5, we also had to add Gear Plugin and Samsung Accessory Service.

As already noted, we received a French-language copy of the gadget for testing, which, after charging and turning on, initially frightened Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (who, as you know, was also a skilled watchmaker) with inscriptions in his native language. True, immediately after connecting with the smartphone, the watch still switched to Russian.

On the main screen of the Gear program, various settings for smart watches are available, as well as access to the application store for them - Samsung Gear Apps (Samsung account required).

From here you can choose the right watch face for the Gear S2, keeping in mind that some watch faces can be further stylized.

In addition, the Gear settings also provide for sending subscribers some kind of emergency message (including with an attached audio recording), or searching for a “lost” watch nearby using a connected smartphone (the “Find Gear” function).

As for the Gear S2 itself, its interface turned out to be quite simple and intuitive. Now it is clearly adapted for a round screen, where everything, one way or another, is connected to a part of the plane limited by the circle. For example, round icons here are arranged mostly in a circle, and the applications themselves seem to be optimized for this geometric shape.

Working with a touch screen, for which regular taps, swipes and 2-finger multi-touch (zoom) are valid, greatly simplifies the use of the bezel. Using the latter, it is convenient, for example, to navigate between screens, select a specific object and adjust input parameters (brightness and volume levels).

Pressing the “Home Screen” button when the display is off activates the screen of the same name with a dial, and a second press goes to the applications screen. In turn, pressing this button once from any other menu returns to the main screen. The Back button always takes you to the previous screen. Swiping down also helps with this.

The status bar, which is also called up by swiping down (from the NFC antenna area), but only from the main screen (watch face), displays the Bluetooth connection status and battery percentage. From the same panel, by tapping on the corresponding icon, you can go to adjust the brightness, Do Not Disturb mode (turn off vibration and screen) or control the player.

When you turn the bezel counterclockwise, the notification screen is displayed; counterclockwise, the following screens appear: application shortcuts, application menus (there may be several such screens) and widgets. The application shortcuts screen allows you to place up to four items that you use most often. By default, these are “Applications/Menu”, “Friends/Contacts”, “Settings” and S Voice. A total of six widgets are preinstalled - weather, pedometer, heart rate monitor, schedule, music and daily activity tracker. You can add a new widget to an existing list or remove an existing one.

In the application menu, among the preinstalled programs, there are, for example, the voice assistant S Voice, “Alarm Clock”, “Gallery”, “Maps”, “Calendar”, “Music”, “Weather”, Stopwatch”, “Timer”, "Phone", etc. Of course, fitness apps have not been forgotten either, in particular S Health and Nike+ Running. In the Gear settings, you can change the order of their icons around the circumference of the application menu screen.

The Find My Phone application allows you to locate a “lost” device (a smartphone connected via Bluetooth), which begins to play music quite loudly.

It’s also easy to select the appropriate text when rejecting calls (“Sorry, I’m busy. Call back later,” “I’m in a meeting,” etc.), or create an adequate response yourself (for example, “I don’t want to talk”).

By the way, using S Voice in conjunction with Nexus 5, you can initiate a call to a selected contact by voice, send him a message in the same way, find out the weather, set an alarm (only on the watch), etc.

It is convenient to change dials and stylize some of them to your taste not only from your smartphone, but also directly on your watch. To begin this process, you just need to tap and hold on the watch face you are using (“Home Screen”).

But the easiest way, perhaps, is to use the results of the work of Alessandro Mendini.

To turn the gadget on and off, use the mechanical “Home Screen” button. But you can turn on the screen with any button or by turning the bezel. The same goal can be easily achieved by raising the wrist on which the smart watch is worn (the gesture must be activated in the settings). To turn off the screen, you just need to cover it, for example, with your palm.

The Wi-Fi module in the watch is used for the so-called “Remote connection”. This option is activated in the Gear settings (Samsung account required). If the Bluetooth connection is lost, synchronization will go through the “cloud”, and using Wi-Fi, notifications should arrive on the watch, as well as the “Find Gear” and “Find Phone” functions.

At least during testing, both devices found each other without problems.

Purchase, conclusions

The recommended pre-order price for the Gear S2 was 20,990 rubles, while the “classic” version turned out to be 4 thousand more expensive. However, judging by a message from Samsung’s Moscow office, the popularity of the new “smart” watches in Russia was so high that the pre-order had to be completed ahead of schedule.

Indeed, the company’s new model of the gadget turned out to be very successful. An easy-to-use bezel fits quite seamlessly into the attractive round design. The color Super AMOLED screen, although small in size, is very clear, bright and rich. Along with good dust and moisture protection of the case, the gadget provides good autonomy. And no less important, it is important that the Gear S2 watch is designed to work in conjunction not only with “galactic” Samsung smartphones, but also with many other modern Android devices.

The disadvantages of the device include, of course, the set of applications, which is limited by the Tizen operating system and the existing interface. True, all the most necessary (and not so necessary) programs and widgets are already available, and in the design of dials there is an opportunity to show your creative abilities. The docking station for wireless charging, which, although very compact, is still non-standard, causes some concern. It will not be possible to replace one strap with another of the same size on this watch model due to the original fastening.

Well, the most important thing. It is unlikely that the advantages of the gadget include a fairly high price. Of course, Gear S2 will make a worthy match for one of the premium smartphones, for which about 40-60 thousand rubles were paid. If the price ratio is different, it’s worth weighing everything again and, perhaps, finding a simpler companion to wear.

Samsung Gear S2 Review Summary

Pros:

Round body design
Convenient bezel control
Excellent Super AMOLED screen
Good autonomy
Dust and moisture resistance of the case
Support for “extragalactic” Android smartphones

Minuses:

Quite a high price
The set of applications is limited to Tizen OS
Custom wireless charging
Original strap mounts

Samsung Gear S2 display

The Gear S2 features a fully circular 1.2-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels, delivering a very high pixel density of 302 pixels per inch, although the Apple Watch is pushed forward by 326 ppi. The pixel density isn't much higher than, say, the Huawei Watch (286 ppi), but the Gear S2's display looks great nonetheless.

Black watch faces look great on an AMOLED display (which is also more energy efficient than an LCD screen), even if they tend to not be as bright outdoors. That said, I had no problem seeing the Gear S2's watch face in bright sunlight, and it has 10 brightness settings if you need to crank it up a bit. There are 17 pre-loaded watch face designs and some nice customization options, such as the ability to use an image from your gallery to create your own watch face design.

The Gear S2 has the best display we've seen on an Android smartwatch.

The screen is surrounded by a very thin bezel, but it's so thin that it's barely noticeable. The advantage of the rotating bezel is that it matches the circular interface of the watch. While you can still feel your finger moving left and right, everything on the Gear S2 is on an arc, so the rotation of the bezel actually matches the movement on the screen. It's a subtle detail, but a nice one.

The bezel makes a clicking sound when rotated, so you don't just rotate it, but move it gradually. This makes it easier to navigate long lists or menus. When you reach the top or bottom of the menu, you'll get haptic feedback as well as a glow at the top or bottom of the screen.

Thanks to AMOLED technology, the display on the Gear S2 looks great on black screens.

Samsung Gear S2 Software

The Gear S2's software is Samsung's own Tizen operating system, a fork of Android that Samsung sometimes uses in its wearables. This is a great choice for this device. There would simply be no way to navigate Android Wear with a rotating bezel simply because of the up-down, left-right structure of the interface. Samsung's circular interface and sleek navigation are a match made in heaven.

The Gear S2 has a notification area, dedicated pages for apps, a settings area, and an app drawer.

By default, the Gear S2 has about a dozen screens: a notification area to the left of the watch face and several dedicated app screens to the right (S Health, Weather, Calendar, Heart Rate Monitor and coming soon). There's a scroll-down information screen with a toggle for Do Not Disturb mode and a shortcut for the music player and brightness settings.

You can scroll through the screens or use the rotating bezel.

You can move between these screens horizontally using your finger, or you can rotate the panel to move much faster. It's a very intuitive way to navigate and much faster than clumsy paws on a screen. The Gear S2 also has two physical buttons. The top part of the screen takes you back, and the bottom bottom part takes you home from the menu or launches the app picker from the home screen.

The Gear S2 has just over two screens of app icons located along the edges of the display. You simply tap the icon you want or rotate the faceplate to scroll through them and bring up the app name. You can swipe to go directly to the next app screen or scroll through apps one at a time.

The app drawer on the Gear S2 is pretty cool. Shame about the apps though.

Your current screen in relation to the total number of home screens or app pages is always marked with a small readout at the top of the screen, so you always know where you are in the OS. It takes very little time to get used to and at no point do you feel lost in the menu. Samsung has done an admirable job of keeping the interface simple and easy to use despite its complexity.

The Gear's companion app for Android is pretty decent, offering face-watching tweaks, app notification controls, Find My Gear, an app manager, the Gear app store, settings, and the ability to simply tap media (like music). or photo) to your Gear S2.

The Gear companion app for Android is pretty good.

Tizen isn't for everyone, and the list of available Tizen apps on the Gear S2 is quite limited. If you have a Galaxy device and are already happy with the large number of Galaxy apps, then you'll be fine. But if you are a big Google app user, switching from Google Fit to S Health, Google Now to S Voice, etc. will be quite difficult.

Luckily, the Gear S2 is quite capable of displaying your app's notifications, so you can receive WhatsApp messages (but not reply to them), and Google Now Maps still shows up right on schedule. The problem comes when you want to add your favorite Play Store apps to the Gear S2, because they mostly don't exist. This is something you need to consider if you are going to try Tizen.

Just like Android Wear, you can customize watch faces for the Gear S2.

Having said that, the Gear S2 is perfect for the apps it comes with. If you don't have a Galaxy phone, you'll have to install a few Samsung apps to get started: the Gear app, the Gear Plugin app, and the Gear Accessory Service. If you're signed in to your Samsung account, you can also use Find My Phone and Find My Device.

A Samsung account also allows you to use a reactivation lock, so if your Gear goes missing, a thief can't just reset it to factory settings and move on. If you reset the factory clock yourself - and in my case I had to do this often - you can use the restore option to get things back to where they really were.

The Gear app can also help you find your watch if you lose it.

Accessing the settings menu gives some standard fare: a display section including always-on display, watch faces and brightness, vibration strength, wake gesture, custom double-tap action for the home button, connections (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC), screen lock, keyboard, power saving settings and information that includes reset options.

I really liked the Tizen interface, but the limited apps were frustrating because it felt like I had to pretty much reorganize my app life. There are over 1000 Tizen apps available, but many of them are location dependent so you can't access them. This sometimes meant that I had to use an alternative to an app I use frequently, or go without it entirely.

An update was added to the Gear S2 firmware in December 2015. Now, if you miss a notification, a small yellow dot will appear at the nine o'clock marker on your watch face. It's a small but useful addition that means you can simply swipe to the notification area when the dot appears and see what you missed.

There aren't many apps for the Gear S2, but you can get notifications from any app.

One thing I should note is that since one of the main selling points of the Gear S2 is its compatibility with non-Galaxy devices, that's what I used it with. I spent most of the week pairing the Gear S2 with a Nexus 6 running Android 6.0 Marshmallow, but also switched to Lollipop devices from time to time to see if that made a difference to the usual connection glitches I was experiencing (more on that below). Using a Galaxy or Tizen device will naturally provide a different experience.

The Gear S2 is IP68 dustproof and waterproof.

How to use Samsung Pay with any Android smartphone

Even when Android Pay is officially launched in Russia, and according to rumors this should happen in the spring of 2020, Samsung Pay will remain the most desirable for owners of smartphones running Android.
The reason is simple - the Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology introduced by Samsung specialists allows you to pay even in those terminals that do not support contactless payments. Some Galaxy smartphones and Gear S3 watches can create a magnetic field that mimics the stripe of a bank card and transmit information to legacy payment terminals. Other smartphones and smartwatches can't do this because Samsung bought the company behind MST and is unlikely to license the technology to other manufacturers. After its launch in Russia, Android Pay users will have to make sure every time before paying that the terminal supports NFC, while Samsung Pay users can pay with watches and smartphones absolutely everywhere. Need I say that this is a serious competitive advantage? However, if you really want to use Samsung Pay, but for some reason you don’t want to change your smartphone, there is still a way out. Samsung itself has solved this problem - owners of any devices running Android 4.4 and later can get all the benefits of Samsung Pay if they buy a Gear S3 classic or Gear S3 frontier.

When launching the payment service, the company made a major concession and allowed Samsung Pay to be used on smartwatches, no matter which smartphone they were connected to. The only exception is the iPhone, which has a Gear S3 companion app available in the App Store but no Samsung Pay setup feature. One can only guess about the reasons for this, but it is possible that this situation arose not through Samsung’s fault, but because of Apple’s requirements for publishing applications. If the ability to connect the Gear S3 to the iPhone is still understandable (due to functional limitations, they are inferior to the Apple Watch), then supporting a competing payment system in the iOS application is clearly overkill.

So, owners of any smartphones running Android can use Samsung Pay on the Gear S3 classic and Gear S3 frontier if two conditions are met: the device’s operating system is not older than Android 4.4, and the amount of RAM is more than 1.5 GB.

How to set up Samsung Pay on Gear S3 connected to any Android smartphone

1. Connect Gear S3 to your smartphone

2. Launch the Samsung Gear application 3. Go to the “Settings” tab and select “Samsung Pay” 4. If necessary, confirm the download of the Samsung Pay plugin 5. Create a new profile or log in to Samsung Account 6. On the Samsung Pay screen, tap on add cards, enter information about the card 7. Confirm the entered data and enter the verification code from the bank 8. Provide an example of your signature - this may be required at the checkout when paying using MST technology 9. Wait approximately 5-10 minutes until the end of the card verification process 10. If you need to add more bank cards, repeat the last two steps

How to use Samsung Pay on Gear S3 connected to any Android smartphone

1. Before paying, press and hold the "Back" button, which is located near the two-hour mark, to launch Samsung Pay 2. If you need to use a card other than the default one, swipe to the desired one 3. Tap the payment button at the bottom of the screen 4. Within 30 seconds, bring the watch to the payment terminal 5. If the transaction amount is more than 1000 rubles, confirm the operation by entering the bank card PIN code on the terminal

Samsung Gear S2 performance

The Gear S2 will work with any Android device running Android 4.4 KitKat or higher as long as it has 1.5GB of RAM or more. It's important to note that the Gear S2 works with standard Google APIs for apps like dialer and text messaging, so if third-party apps use non-standard APIs, they may not work on the Gear S2. One more thing to watch out for.

Naturally, Samsung is putting a big emphasis on S Health on the Gear S2, with health-focused watch faces and a range of software features aimed at keeping you active. On the hardware side, the Gear S2 has several sensors, including a heart rate monitor. This all works great.

Health S is a key feature of the Gear S2.

The Gear S2 has 24-hour activity recording, automatic recognition of activity type, "inactivity alerts" when you're lazy, automatic heart rate tracking that increases during exercise, and a face clock that changes to reflect your activity or inactivity.

Other sensors include barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope and ambient light sensor. The Gear S2 specs include a 1GHz dual-core processor, 4GB of internal memory, and 512MB of RAM. The Gear S2 also supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC and GPS (3G version only). As mentioned above, the Gear S2 3G comes with an external speaker and an e-SIM, which doesn't require connecting to a smartphone to make and receive calls or access the Internet.

Even typing on the tiny T9 keyboard is easy enough.

Samsung Pay is supported on both variants of the Gear S2 for contactless payments in stores. However, due to the security features of Samsung Pay, you will only be able to use Samsung Pay with the Gear S2 if it is paired with a Samsung smartphone with Samsung Pay installed on it.

Tizen's speed and stability on the Gear S2 were great, but I had issues with the Gear S2 and S2 Classic constantly dropping connections to my phone. Over the course of a week, I had to reset it to factory settings several times to get the device to pair with my phone again because it wouldn't do it on its own. Even trying to force it through the Gear app didn't work. This is a huge problem. Our second Gear S2 also crashed regularly, but at least it connected to the phone again.

You will have to manually connect to Wi-Fi every time.

The Gear S2 will not automatically connect to Wi-Fi networks if you have them set up on your phone. Depending on your point of view, this may be useful given that Wi-Fi consumes more battery than a Bluetooth connection, but having to always manually connect to Wi-Fi is a pain. Setting up Wi-Fi is surprisingly easy, though, even with the T9's tiny keyboard that only takes up half the screen.

Overall, I was pleased with the Gear S2's performance and didn't notice any of the judder or dropped frames that you sometimes get with Android Wear. But at least with Android Wear you get a stable connection to your phone, and if it falls out, it connects again easily. Currently, the unreliable connection makes the Gear S2 more of a hassle than it's worth; You simply can't rely on it to stay paired with your phone.

Android Phone Compatibility List

Characteristics and appearance

The watch case is made of stainless steel, which shimmers attractively in the sun. In the classic version, the strap is made of black silicone, but it is removable, so you can give the watch any look you want.

Characteristics:

Touch screen with a diameter of 1.2 inches;
Resolution 360×360 pixels;
Tizen OS;
RAM 512 MB;
ROM 4 GB;
IP68 protection;
Voice dialing functions. Suitable only when synchronizing with Samsung devices;
Compatible with devices based on Android, partially iOS;
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.1
Dimensions and weight: 42.3x8x11.4 mm 47 g;
Battery 250 mAh (2 hours charging, operating time 72 hours).

The device has a built-in heart rate monitor, barometer, light sensor, acceleration sensor, and gyroscope. The watch is equipped with an NFC contactless payment system using the proprietary S Pay system.

The key element of the device is the bezel around the screen. By moving your finger over it, you can control the gadget without pressing the screen. You can also control it using two side keys. Their destination is “home” and “back”. Control using the headband is simple, you quickly get used to it.

Samsung Gear S2 battery

The Samsung Gear S2's battery is quite small at just 250 mAh, but Samsung's claims of two-day battery life are well justified. On a random Wi-Fi connection, I got 33 hours from the S2 before it died. With Bluetooth alone I could work anywhere from 36-40 hours (with my regular disconnects I even did 48 hours).

Of course, screen brightness and the color of your watch face will affect this result. I usually used a black dial and set the brightness to five (out of 10). If you keep the screen brighter and don't check your watch as often as I do, then you can easily earn 48 hours even if you're constantly connected via Bluetooth.

The battery on the Gear S2 is small but lasts a long time.

The Gear S2 also has a power saving mode that switches you to a black and white watch face, kills Wi-Fi, limits performance, and only lets calls, notifications and messages through. If you need your watch to last for a few days instead of the usual 1.5-2, that's great, but it kills the fun of the smartwatch the way power-saving modes on smartphones do.

The Gear S2 comes with a cute little wireless charging pad, similar to what you get with the Moto 360 (2015). Interestingly, the Gear S2 charges on the new Moto 360 charging dock, but I couldn't get it to work with any of my regular wireless pads or Qi pads. Samsung has stated that it doesn't work with Qi, but I've heard multiple reports that it works on certain Qi chargers.

The Gear S2 comes with a beautiful wireless charging dock.

Specifications Samsung Gear S2

Dimensions:	42.3 x 49.8 x 11.4 mm (Gear S2) 39.9 x 43.6 x 11.4 mm (Gear S2 classic) 44 x 51.8 x 13.4 mm (Gear S2 3G)
Weight:	47 g (Gear S2) 42 g (Gear S2 classic) 51 g (Gear S2 3G)
Battery size:	250 mAh (Gear S2, Gear S2 classic) 300 mAh (Gear S2 3G)
Screen size:	1.2 V
Display technology:	AMOLED
Screen:	360 x 360 pixels (424 ppi)
RAM:	512 MB
Internal storage:	4 GB
Number of Cores:	2
Max. clock frequency:	1 GHz
Connection:	— (Gear S2) NFC, Bluetooth 4.1 (Gear S2 classic) HSPA, NFC, Bluetooth 4.1 (Gear S2 3G)

Filling and functionality

The thin case fits 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB of internal memory (you can save music to listen to your favorite playlist while jogging, without a phone), as well as a dual-core processor based on the Exynos 3250 chipset with a clock frequency of 1 GHz. The Tizen operating system is battery-friendly and the watch can work for two days without recharging.

In addition to the Bluetooth module version 4.1, the device has a built-in NFC sensor for contactless data transfer, but you cannot connect third-party sensors, such as ANT+ or an external heart rate monitor.

The first generation Samsung Gear S watch could receive or make a call; the Gear S2 Classic no longer has this option. It is possible to dial a number, but you cannot talk by the clock. They say there is a special 3G version with which you can make calls, but I have not seen such a model, and they are not sold here, so - alas.

The functionality of the watch is excellent - more than 4,000 applications can be downloaded or purchased in a special store, which can be accessed through the Gear Manager program on a smartphone. Most of them turn out to be different variations of the dial design with varying degrees of information content, but there are also applications for popular instant messengers, various services and even games, just like in the Apple Watch.

Using apps, you can monitor your health, count steps, calories, and even the amount of fluid you drink per day. Moreover, all these counters are immediately built into the watch’s firmware. All basic functions, such as receiving messages, navigation, alarm clock, various social network notifications also work flawlessly.