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Samsung launches fitness-tracking, smartphone-friendly wearable to take on Fitbit, Microsoft

Samsung?s Gear Fit2 works as a smartwatch and a fitness tracker. - Credit Samsung Mobile/Youtube

Gadgets on the move ... Samsung's Gear Fit2 wearable device features a curved touchscreen, dust-resistant body, and adds GPS tracking to its line-up for the first time.

THE WORLD'S biggest smartphone maker is picking a fight with the leading fitness technology seller today, launching an advanced exercise tracker in Australia that undercuts its rival on price.

Announced early this week, Samsung released the Gear Fit2 in Australian stores today, claiming it "stands up to any product in the market," including market leader Fitbit, and rivals Jawbone, Microsoft, and Garmin.

At $289, the smart fitness wearable exactly matches the price of the Microsoft Band 2, but undercuts Fitbit's latest fitness device by more than $80 and its standalone GPS device by more than $100.

Samsung Australia mobile vice-president Prasad Gokhale said the company's second fitness-tracking device would appeal to a growing number of wearable tech-savvy fitness buffs in Australia.

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Watch this space ... Samsung's Gear Fit2 works as a smartwatch and a fitness tracker.Source:Supplied

"The first Gear Fit was extremely well received but in the last 18 months the fitness market has just exploded," he said.

"The market for devices below $400 is just going gangbusters."

The Gear Fit2, released in Samsung stores and online today, features several advances over its predecessor, including standalone GPS location tracking for outdoor pursuits, a barometer to track staircases climbed, a crisper, 1.5-inch touchscreen, and the ability to connect to any Google Android devices with KitKat software and above.

Importantly, though, Samsung's fitness tracker can be dunked in up to 1.5m of water and can deliver all smartphone notifications on its screen, even letting users reply to SMS messages.

"Notifications are critical. This device will compare well to any other product on the market," Mr Gokhale said. "I believe our product at least warrants a look."

Fitness-tracking technology is big business worldwide, with research firm IDC finding consumers bought 19.7 million wearable gadgets between January and March, including 4.8 million Fitbits and 900,000 Garmin running watches.

And Australians have a huge appetite for the devices.

Fitbit Asia Pacific vice-president Steve Morley said fitness technology grew almost 150 per cent in Australia last year, with 1.4 million consumers buying wearable devices, 90 per cent of which were fitness trackers.


Source: Samsung launches fitness-tracking, smartphone-friendly wearable to take on Fitbit, Microsoft

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