The global rollout of the new Samsung wearable, the Gear S3, has started. The smartwatch is now available in South Korea, while the staggered release is scheduled for US and UK next week.
Announcing the debut of the new flagship in South Korea, Samsung stated that the home country release of the wearable is the start of a global roll-out. The Samsung Gear S3 is then expected to release in other regions starting on Nov. 18. Listed markets other than the UK and US include Australia, Dubai, France; Germany, and Singapore.
The staggered release may have something to do with the LTE support for the new wearable, particularly the Gear S3 Frontier. Samsung has revealed that the global version of the device will support LTE functions. However, there are a number of LTE standards worldwide, and Samsung has to check the regions for compatibility. US mobile carriers, for instance, use unique LTE bands. However, Samsung has already acknowledged that pre-orders for the US version have already started. This means that the new wearable is already certified for use in US LTE bands.
The Gear S3 is designed as a circular smartwatch, with the face similar to that of its predecessor. However, there are a number of improvements over the previous-gen Gear S2. Aside from LTE support, the Gear S3 also has improved IP68 certification, meaning it is dust and water-resistant. The body and watch band have also been tweaked to military durability specs. In addition, the new wearable also supports Samsung Pay.
The pricing details for the Samsung Gear S3 will vary by region. In the US, it is said that the new wearable will have a price tag starting at $350. In addition, aside from mobile carriers, the US version will also be available in third-party retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Macy's.
