Samsung showed off several new accessories at IFA a few weeks ago, and two of them are about to go on sale. Starting this Friday (the 13th), you can drop some cash on the Gear IconX earbuds and Gear Sport smartwatch. The aforementioned cash will be substantial, though. The smartwatch is priced at $299.99 and the earbuds are $199.99.
The Gear Sport is a smaller, somewhat sportier cousin of the Gear S3. It has a 1.2-inch AMOLED display with the same rotating bezel for navigation we've seen on other Gear devices. It includes 5 ATM water-resistance, swim tracking, and real-time heart rate monitoring. The smaller form factor makes it a bit more comfortable if you've got small-ish wrists, but that comes with a drawback. It has Samsung Pay, but only for NFC—the MST hardware is absent.
The Gear IconX are an updated version of Samsung's previous completely wireless earbuds. The battery life has been extended considerably to as long as seven hours in standalone mode, which requires you to keep songs on the earbuds themselves with 4GB of built-in storage. Connected over Bluetooth, Samsung still claims five hours. The IconX also offer one-touch access to Bixby if you're using one of Samsung's 2017 flagship devices. There's standalone run tracking as well.
Pre-orders for the Gear Sport will be available this Friday from Samsung and Best Buy. They'll be on sale generally come the 27th via Amazon, Samsung, Best Buy, and others. IconX pre-orders are only available from Samsung, but these too will be sold by various retailers including Best Buy and Amazon on the 27th.
PRESS RELEASE
Samsung Announces U.S. Availability for the New Gear Sport and Gear IconX2018 – Combining the Best in Style, Smart Fitness and Health Tracking
Available for Pre-order starting tomorrow, October 13, Samsung Gear Sport and the Enhanced Gear IconX2018 are Designed to Help Motivate and Manage Fitness Goals
RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ – OCTOBER 12, 2017 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc. announced today the Gear Sport and Gear IconX2018 will be available for online preorders starting tomorrow, October 13, with widespread U.S. availability starting October 27. Joining a full suite of Samsung wearables available this holiday season, the Gear Sport is a stylish, robust and 5 ATM water resistant fitness smartwatch with iconic circular bezel and built-in GPS, while the Gear IconX 2018 wireless earbuds are designed for comfort to track fitness goals and enjoy offline music while offering improved battery life. Samsung’s portfolio of wearables are uniquely designed for different consumers to meet their needs and fit into their lifestyle.
“Samsung’s new smartwatches and cord-free earbuds make wellness management simpler and easier,” said Alanna Cotton, Vice President Marketing, Samsung Electronics America. “Whether you want to get fitness insights or enjoy your favorite music, Gear Sport and Gear IconX 2018 blend style with functionality to help you manage your health and get the most out of your day.”
Sporting military-grade1 durability, a 1.2-inch Super AMOLED display, and signature design touches like a circular bezel for easy navigation, and a form factor inspired by traditional watches, the Gear Sport is the latest in a line of wearable smart devices from Samsung which are as stylish as they are functional. With 5 ATM water resistance2 and swim tracking, real-time heart rate monitoring, auto activity detection, and Spotify’s offline mode that lets users listen to their favorite music anywhere; the new Gear Sport lives at the intersection of lifestyle and fitness.
Additionally, with a variety of custom watch bands to go along with Gear Sport’s traditional watch design, the smartwatch can be dressed up or down for any occasion. Available in Blue and Black, Gear Sport is $299.99 and will be available in the U.S. for online preorders at Samsung.com and BestBuy.com starting tomorrow, October 13, and widespread U.S. availability starting October 27 through Samsung.com, Amazon, Best Buy, Macy’s and U.S. Cellular3.
The second-generation Gear IconX 2018 cord-free earbuds let you effortlessly listen to your favorite music – making your daily commute more enjoyable or helping you get more from your workout. With 4GB of internal storage, music can be enjoyed on and offline by transferring songs from a Samsung smartphone4 or PC, or accessing your favorite streaming music service through Bluetooth connectivity. With a simple tap and hold of the earbuds when connected to a Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ or Galaxy Note8, users can control their music or smartphone with just their voice through Bixby.
The updated design comes in Black, Gray and Pink and is ergonomic and lightweight so Gear IconX 2018 earbuds are secure, comfortable and stylish to use. For the fitness enthusiast, the Gear IconX 2018 automatically tracks your running routines and features a standalone built-in Running Coach.
With an improved battery life of up to five hours of Bluetooth streaming, up to seven hours of MP3 listening standalone mode and up to four hours of talk time, users can enjoy a seamless experience whether tracking fitness activities, talking via Bluetooth or listening to music. The Gear IconX 2018 is $199.99 and will be available in the U.S. for online preorders at Samsung.com starting tomorrow, October 13, and widespread U.S. availability starting October 27 through Samsung.com, Amazon, BestBuy.com, Sprint and U.S. Cellular5.
