Samsung announced Tizen 3.0 along with the launch of the Gear Sport last month. The update is now being released for Gear S3 smartwatches with enhanced fitness features and UI improvements.
Samsung has released the Tizen 3.0 update for the Gear S3, its flagship smartwatch launched last year. The Tizen 3.0 software for wearables was first showcased alongside the launch of the Gear Sport last month. The new version is now being rolled out as part of a Value Pack Update for the Gear S3 Frontier and the Gear S3 Classic and it brings new features and performance improvements to the smartwatch.
In terms of new features, the Samsung Gear S3 gets support for Bixby reminders which allows Galaxy S8 and Note 8 owners to receive reminders on their wrist, but the update lacks the Bixby Voice functionality. The update also brings support for Samsung Connect, which allows users to monitor and manage smart devices with the Gear S3. Additionally, the update brings support to control Gear VR or a powerpoint presentation from the wrist.
With Tizen 3.0, Samsung has also updated the Health app with support for continuous heart-rate monitoring and multi-workout widgets. This is one of the major updates coming to the platform considering the fact that all smartwatch platforms are morphing into fitness-first devices. The update also brings support to watch exercise programs from user's synced smartphone on a TV and an option to control the displayed content with the Gear S3.
The Gear S3 can also create new contacts and add events to the calendar with the new update. Samsung is updating the SoS functionality to include altitude for a more precise fix of users' location when they are in trouble. With Tizen, Samsung has managed to steer away from dependence on Android for its wearable platform, and the new iteration of Tizen brings support for the Gear S3 to work more as a stand-alone device and perform basic functions with its own LTE connectivity.
Samsung is also bringing new UI changes with widgets optimised to fit the circular display of the smartwatch while a band around the perimeter now displays widget specific information. Gear S3 users can rotate the bezel at a faster or slower rate to view the information displayed by these widgets.
Samsung is the fifth major wearable brand globally, according to Canalys and the updated software will help it further consolidate its strengths among smartwatch platforms.
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