Why it matters: Samsung's new Galaxy Watch Active 2 sees the return of a rotating bezel (albeit a touch variety this time) and the introduction of a roomier canvas. Those new features, along with improved sensors, could make this one of the better Android smartwatches on the market for fitness-minded folks.
Samsung on Monday formally introduced the Galaxy Watch Active 2, the latest addition to its Galaxy smartwatch portfolio.
The Galaxy Watch Active 2 is offered in two sizes – 40mm and 44mm diameters – to complement its two styles – lightweight aluminum with a fluoroelastomer band or premium stainless steel with a leather strap. That works out to a 1.2-inch, 360 x 360 resolution Super AMOLED display on 40mm models and a 1.4-inch, 360 x 360 resolution Super AMOLED display on larger 44mm models. Both are coated in Corning Gorilla Glass DX+ for improved durability.
Powering Samsung’s latest is an Exynos 9110 dual core SoC clocked at 1.15GHz alongside either 768MB or 1.5GB of RAM (LTE models get more memory) and 4GB of onboard storage. All models have been certified to 5ATM and IP68 standards and run the Tizen operating system.
As rumored, the wearable features a rotating touch bezel that turns both clockwise and counter-clockwise to help navigate the UI. Buyers also get improved heart rate monitoring – this time with eight photodiodes – and an accelerometer that can measure up to 32g of force. The Watch Active 2 also offers electrocardiogram functionality and a host of other standard sensors like a gyroscope, a barometer and an ambient light sensor.
Smaller 40mm models feature a 247mAh battery while the larger variants get a beefier 340mAh pack. Samsung isn't publicly commenting on battery life just yet.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 launches on September 27 starting at $279 and will be offered in silver, black and gold color schemes.
https://www.techspot.com/news/81290-samsung-formally-introduces-galaxy-watch-active-2-touch.html
