Samsung Unveils First ‘Smart Watch’ With Galaxy Gear

Electronics giant Samsung has unveiled the first “smart watch” to hit the mainstream market. The Galaxy Gear is a wristwatch that acts as a portal to the computing and mobile operating system of a phone.

The circuit board and touch-screen display of the Galaxy Gear will communicate with the wearer’s phone, providing a secondary access point while the phone stays in the pocket or bag. That means the smart watch wearer could do everything from controlling their music to taking calls.

The Galaxy Gear will feature a 1.6 inch LED display, a 1.9 megapixel camera, a speaker and a microphone.

The unveiling is a coup for Samsung, which beat Google, Apple and Sony (all of whom have filed patents for ‘smart watch’ designs) to market.

According to the BBC, Samsung has estimated the Galaxy Gear will retail for about $300.

The world of haute horlogerie will no doubt be watching closely to see whether luxury watch collectors will embrace this wearable technology.

Photos courtesy Samsung.