Credit: Evan Blass
It’s all in the wrist.
Samsung is set to unveil the next entry in the Galaxy Watch line at the Galaxy Unpacked event on August 5. Of course, as has become the norm for the consumer electronics sector, the closer the big presentations get, the more ambitious the leakers become. If these new details are true, then your new smartwatch is going to be best buddies with your hand.
According to mobile software forum XDA Developers, Samsung let the companion app for the Galaxy Watch 3 slip onto the Android app store, which immediately prompted a fine-toothed-combing of the source code. Based on the alleged analysis, the Galaxy Watch 3 will support gesture-based controls. For example, if you get a phone call, you can pick it up by clenching and unclenching your fist, or dismiss it by giving your wrist a little shake. There’s supposed to be a speaker on the watch, too, so you don’t need a physical phone or an earpiece to take a call (provided you don’t mind the call being on speakerphone). Other gesture controls have been rumored, including muting alarms with a wrist rotation or taking pictures by opening your hand in a particular manner.
Credit: Reviewed.com/Simon Hill
The code also suggests integrated fall detection. Similar to health features present in Apple Watches, the Galaxy Watch 3 will be able to detect when its wearer takes a sudden, heavy fall. The watch will ask you to confirm if you’re okay, and if you don’t respond in a minute, it’ll automatically call emergency services and/or numbers in your emergency contacts.
Samsung has not confirmed these rumors as of yet, but since the Galaxy Unpacked event is only a week from Wednesday, we’ll know pretty quickly whether they’re the real McCoy or not.
