Now we know how much Samsung's latest wearables will cost, and when they'll be on sale.
Following an initial debut back at IFA 2017 at the end of August, Samsung is ready to sell the new Gear Sport smartwatch and Gear IconX 2018 truly wireless headphones. The fitness-focused Gear Sport will cost $299, and the IconX 2018 headphones will be $199 — both will go on sale on October 13, with in-store availability on October 27, from Samsung.com, Amazon, Best Buy, Macy's and U.S. Cellular.
That October 13 date is much earlier than we had initially thought, with initial rumors pointing to a late October or early November pre-order time frame. On the other side of the coin, these prices are a bit higher than we had expected. The Gear Sport at $299 gets surprisingly close to the price of the full-featured (albeit larger and clunkier) Gear S3, which itself is down to around the $315 mark at retail. It's also a big step up from the Gear S2, which previously held that sub-S3 level wearable spot in the $249, and eventually down to $159, range.
Gear Sport vs. Gear S3: What's the difference?
At the same time, the Gear IconX 2018 earbuds have set themselves near the top of this "truly wireless headphones" market at $199. Apple has picked up quite a bit of traction with its $159 AirPods, and Google just launched its new (albeit wired) Pixel Buds at the same price. The IconX 2018 thankfully have much longer battery life than their predecessors and are more fitness-focused with features like heart rate monitoring, but that $199 price will be tough for many to swallow — even if they're pairing them up with their $900+ Galaxy Note 8.
Samsung obviously has actual sales data on its end to back up the pricing of its products, so we'll see how the market takes to them when they hit stores this week.
Press release:
Samsung Announces U.S. Availability for the New Gear Sport and Gear IconX 2018 – 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 IconX 2018 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 IconX 2018 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."
Gear Sport
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 starting October 13.
Gear IconX 2018
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 smartphone3 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.
Post a Comment