What you need to know
- Samsung is gearing up to release the Galaxy Watch 3 in just over a week.
- A Play Store plugin update to its Galaxy Wearable app has revealed some of the upcoming features.
- These range from nice to haves like new watch faces, and genuinely useful features like fall detection.
Samsung's Galaxy Watch 3 is coming up, and an new plugin for the Galaxy Wearable app has shown us some of what the company has in store for us. The folks over at XDA Developers did a deep dive into the new Galaxy Watch 3 plugin, gaining access to assets that showcase what Samsung is bringing.
As far as new features go, the Galaxy Watch 3 will be adding hand gestures. You'll be able to clench and unclench your fist to answer a phone call or shake our fist to reject one. There's also a new upcoming fall detection feature. If you fall, the Galaxy Watch 3 will give you 60 seconds to confirm that you're alright and not in any immediate danger. Otherwise, it'll send a text with your location and a brief recording to an emergency contact. Fall detection has been a nifty feature on smartwatches, credited with helping save lives in accidents.
9to5Google's APK insight team was able to glean a little more. Samsung will be building a more accessible smartwatch, so there's going to be color filters, contrast controls, and size sliders. The new Watch 3 will also be adding multiple watch faces with some of the Galaxy Note 20 wallpapers onboard. 9to5Google says you'll also be able to automatically shuffle through these watch faces if you enjoy variety.
The Galaxy Watch 3 is expected to launch with the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Z Flip 5G at Samsung Unpacked on August 5th.
Galaxy Watch Active 2
The immediate predecessor to the Galaxy Watch 3, it's one of the best Samsung smartwatches so far. It manages to straddle the line between being a good smartwatch and a good fitness tracker, and it does it while being stylish.
