In Short

During its Unpacked event in NYC, Samsung teased its next smartwatch, the Samsung Gear S2 for the first time. The official announcement followed on August 31, a few days before IFA officially kicked off in Berlin.

This time around, Samsung will be offering two different variants: a regular Gear S2, and the Gear S2 Classic. The Classic variant will be aimed at those who prefer a more "timeless watch design," as it will have an elegant black finish along with a genuine leather band. The most important news now is that you won't need a Samsung device to use the S2 — though you will need a phone with Android 4.4 or higher that has at least 1.5 gigabytes of RAM.

The Samsung Gear S2 is powered by Tizen, and features a 1.2-inch circular display that has a resolution of 360x360. Inside, Samsung has packed a 1GHz dual-core processor, along with 300mAh battery that the company states will power the smartwatch for 2 to 3 days per charge. Additionally, the Gear S2 has NFC inside, meaning the smartwatch will be capable of mobile payments, and Samsung is looking to add additional functionality, such as room keys, smart car keys and more.

The Gear S2 is also available in a standard, and 3G variant, should you feel the need to have your watch connected to its own data network. The Gear S2 offers two different configurations — a dark gray case with dark gray band, or a silver case with a white band — while the Gear S2 Classic just comes with a black case and matching leather band.

The Gear S2 was made officially available on October 2, 2015 for $299 from various online retailers.

Time for round

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