Classically smart: Samsung reveals the Gear S2 watch
The paradox of the smart watch is that it has had to become ever more watch-like to be accepted as an everyday device. Samsung's new Gear S2 follows the new traditionalist mode. Its chief point of difference from the original Gear S is the shape of the screen – the latter was rectangular and slightly curved and came across as a little awkward. In contrast, right from the first time you strap on the S2 you get the familiar watch feel, almost as if the tech beneath has disappeared.
The paradox of the smart watch is that it has had to become ever more watch-like to be accepted as an everyday device. Back before the idea of shifting our mobile life to our wrists was even an issue, the nascent smart watches were fearsomely digital devices, unashamedly aimed at the technophile who wanted to wear a very obvious sign of tomorrow. But as the tech has improved, classicism has emerged as the dominant form factor, harking back to traditional forms instead of looking forwards.
Samsung's new Gear S2 follows the new traditionalist mode. Its chief point of difference from the original Gear S is the shape of the screen – the latter was rectangular and slightly curved and came across as a little awkward. In contrast, right from the first time you strap on the S2 you get the familiar watch feel, almost as if the tech beneath has disappeared.
With discrete good looks, unobtrusive size and easy comfort on its side, the S2 is a contender before you've even considered the software and day-to-day operation. For the truth is that no one can state with much certainty what a smart watch is actually best at. Telling the time? Not all the time, as the battery drain means always-on screens are impossible. Receiving emails and other messages? Yes – but not so good at replying to them. Tracking exercise and fitness? Sure, but not as well as dedicated bands with their lighter wrist-print and bigger suite of sensors. Similarly, applications like mapping, listening to music and taking voice notes are all technically feasible but deeply compromised by the minimal buttons and small screen size.
The Gear S2 is also an outlier in that it shuns Google's Android Wear for the Tizen OS, an open source system that is slick enough but notably lacking in apps. Samsung's status and the need to pair your watch with a phone will probably lure developers, so the potential is there for some excellent bespoke integration in the future. The S2 is available in standard or classic configurations, the latter pairing the device with a leather strap. There's also a partnership with Alessandro Mendini, offering a Swatch-like line-up of different strap options, each with a matching unique face. A rotating bezel has been introduced as a means of scrolling through apps and pages and it works seamlessly with the two buttons on the side. A flick of the wrist usually brings the screen to life and the stock watch faces are well detailed and restrained.
So why the Gear S2? Apple is pushing upmarket with its watch (witness the latest Hermès edition) and other manufacturers are looking for smart functionality at a much lower price point. Whether you want to live life encircled by a daisy chain of devices, each feeding each other little bits of data about who, what, where and when, is up to you. But as an invisible umbilical link to your phone (a device which most of us treat as a permanent appendage in any case) the Gear S2 fulfills its role more than admirably.
INFORMATION
Samsung Gear S2, from £249. For more information, visit Samsung’s website
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
-
Gucci’s ‘Design Ancora’ reimagines furniture classics in rich red
Gucci launches new editions of Italian design icons in an alluring deep red, showcased during Milan Design Week 2024
By Simon Mills Published
-
Loewe’s Jonathan Anderson drafts artists to create 24 extraordinary lamps at Milan Design Week 2024
Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson commissioned international artists and artisans to explore ‘illumination within the house’ with a series of lamps and lighting installations, shown at a group exhibition at Milan Design Week 2024
By Scarlett Conlon Published
-
What are polynucleotides? Trying the skin injectable made from salmon sperm
Polynucleotides are the latest in skin injectables, containing DNA derived from the gonads of salmon. Wallpaper* Beauty & Grooming Editor Hannah Tindle tries them to discover exactly how they work
By Hannah Tindle Published
-
These new Samsung x Marimekko accessories bring cult patterns to your pocket devices
Finnish design house Marimekko has infused accessories for the latest Samsung devices with its characteristic abstract floral style
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Samsung Galaxy series expands and improves with new tablets, smartwatches and folding phones
The arrival of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold5 shows a new maturity in folding device design, while smarter smartwatches and faster, more efficient tablets were also on the table
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Samsung's modular approach brings bespoke design to the kitchen
Samsung is looking to the future of home goods
By Jonathan Bell Last updated
-
MoMA spotlights France’s booming technology scene in New York
By Elly Parsons Last updated
-
The best design is about creating a seamless experience, says Samsung’s design chief
By Eli Meixler Last updated
-
Technically speaking: battle of the smart speakers
Our monthly dissection of technology happenings the world over
By Elly Parsons Last updated
-
Moving pictures: Samsung and Yves Béhar create an artful television concept
By Rosa Bertoli Last updated
-
Sound solution: Michael Young teams up with Brionvega to create a smart speaker
Michael Young has collaborated with Italian audio brand Brionvega to create WearIt, a new portable speaker design that expertly pairs the past with the present
By Ali Morris Published