In addition to two foldable smartphones and new in-ears, Samsung has also announced the Galaxy Watch5. The smartwatch comes in a regular version and there is a Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro.
Samsung’s smartwatch series went through the biggest change a year ago. Then the own Tizen operating system was exchanged for Google’s Wear OS, with a recognizable Samsung interface over it. This joining of forces of Samsung and Google was expressed a year ago with the Galaxy Watch4 series.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch5 series, just announced by Samsung, consists of two models: the Galaxy Watch5 and the Watch5 Pro. What stands out most, however, is what is missing.
ring thrown
Since the first generation of the Galaxy Watch, with the exception of, for example, the sports versions, the smartwatch has a rotating ring around the screen. By turning it you can browse through menus, a handy extra navigation option to the touchscreen and the function buttons.
This ring is missing on the Galaxy Watch5 and the Pro version. What has been added is that both series have a timepiece with sapphire glass. This type of glass is less breakable and scratch-sensitive. Not an unnecessary luxury, especially for athletes.
Competition with Garmin
The sapphire glass already betrays the intentions of Samsung a bit. The smartwatch can take a beating, so you are more likely to consider taking it with you when you go hiking, mountain biking, mud running or other activities that cause a knock or splash. The Pro version in particular has a fanatical target audience in mind thanks to features such as ‘recording’ a route when you drive through the wilderness so that you can find your way back and a long battery life with GPS enabled.
These are functions that you normally buy a Garmin smartwatch for. These watches can also take a beating and leave brands like Apple and Samsung behind when it comes to (long-term) accurate measurements. However, these brands have the advantage that they have more to offer in terms of smart functions, collaboration with your smartphone and available apps.
Samsung Galaxy Watch5
Despite the fact that Wear OS offers a full smartwatch operating system, it is mainly the health functions with which Samsung seems to praise the watch. For example with advanced sleep measurements. It builds on the other sportiness and health features that Samsung already offers. Like blood pressure measurement, this function was a bit disappointing on the Watch4, because the meter had to be continuously calibrated with a real blood pressure monitor. Whether this has improved with the fifth generation is still unclear.
The Galaxy Watch5 comes in two sizes. One with a 40mm dial screen and one with a 44mm dial screen. The Pro version is a little bigger, which means that the Galaxy Watch5 Pro is not suitable for smaller wrist sizes.
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