The Transport Guy: Samsung invented a new way to control its next smartwatch, according to people who have used it

Steve Kovach August 13, 2015 at 10:13AM

Samsung's seventh smartwatch in two years, the Gear S2, is coming September 3, the company teased at its Unpacked event on Thursday.

Tech Insider has spoken to two people who have used the watch. According to these people, the key features will be its premium round design and a new dial that will let you navigate through menus.

Unlike the Apple Watch, which has a dial on the side called the Digital Crown, the Gear S2 will have a rotating bezel around the entire watch, these people said. Users will turn the bezel to navigate through apps and menus. One of the people who recently used the watch said, "It's really nice."

Samsung briefly flashed what the Gear S2 will look like at its event on Thursday:

The rotating bezel concept won't be new to those who have been watching Samsung closely. A few months ago, the company released some materials for developers so they can build apps for the watch. The materials described a watch with a round face and the bezel controls.

According to one source, the Gear S2 was originally supposed to launch along with the Galaxy S6 smartphone in March, as we reported in January. However, those plans were pushed back to the fall so Samsung could focus entirely on the new phone.

Samsung launched its first smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear, almost two years ago. Since then, it has launched five other smartwatch models, but none of them have been major hits.

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Samsung invented a new way to control its next smartwatch, according to people who have used it from Business Insider: Steve Kovach