While Samsung may currently be leading the tiny smartwatch market with a 71 percent share, its Galaxy Gear devices are still dependent on the company"s smartphones for them to work. But that may finally change sometime later this summer, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal.
The Galaxy Gear was Samsung"s first smartwatch, using Android.
The story, which cites unnamed sources, claims that Samsung is developing a true standalone smartwatch that will have its own SIM card inside. That means it will be able to take phone calls on its own, without the need for a tethered smartphone. The report also claims that the device will be able to take photos, send emails and have GPS and heart monitor features.
Samsung will use its in-house Tizen operating system for this smartwatch, according to the report, but it doesn"t reveal what kind of hardware specs it might have. The story says Samsung is in talks with wireless carriers in the U.S, Europe, and South Korea to sell the unnamed device, and could officially announce it in June or July. If this report is true, it will be the first standalone smartwatch released from a major electronic company.
Source: Wall Street Journal | Image via Samsung