It looks like Polar is set to dominate the smartwatch market after announcing its new fitness watch: the M600. The company says the wearable has best parts of a smartwatch with an efficiency of a fitness device. On the other hand, Samsung's forthcoming Gear S3 is rumored to have new sensors and GPS for fitness-tracking capabilities.
Here's the latest about Samsung Gear S3 and Polar M600 release date, price and specs.
A representative from Polar says the M600 is designed for athletes. It has built-in GPS to measure user's distance, pace, speed and other metric when cycling or running. In addition, it is swim-proof and can withstand elements better than other wearables in the market.
Polar's M600 also boasts sensitive and accurate heart-rate sensor. Most smartwatches only have one or two LEDs to track user's heart rate, but M600 is equipped with six LEDs. The improved sensors of M600 reduce noise for more accurate heart rate reading. Users can also see their heart rate whenever they want.
The M600 can be paired to iPhones and Android phones. It can show notifications and Google cards for a quick look at today's weather and traffic.
CNET reports the wearable has a 1.3-inch screen with 240x240-pixel resolution display. It is also protected with Gorilla Glass 3. Inside, the device has dual-core processor and 4GB of storage for music and apps.
Interestingly, M600 is the first Android Wear fitness device from a major fitness company, rather than a tech firm. Polar M600 will hit tech stores in September for $330.
Meanwhile, Samsung Gear S3 will reportedly arrive in September at IFA 2016. Techno Buffalo reports this device will have fitness-tracking capabilities with smartwatch features.
A report from SamMobile says the Gear S3 will have a built-in GPS, a barometer, a speedometer and an altimeter. All these sensors will make the device more fitness-focused wearable.
The GPS sensor in Gear S3 will help users to use maps even without an internet connection. It can also determine user's average running speed and distance. With built-in speedometer, the device will definitely have an accurate and more detailed post-run analysis.
Furthermore, Gear S3's altimeter makes it possible to measure altitude, which is good for mountaineers and cyclists. The barometer, which reads atmospheric pressure, is a useful feature also. It can predict the weather to warn users if there's a storm.
The base model of Samsung Gear S3 might be priced around $250.
