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After releasing a Tizen-based smart watch, called the “Gear 2,” Samsung Electronics is reportedly going to unveil a new Android-powered model.
According to sources in the IT industry and IT news sites including CNET on June 25, Samsung is scheduled to showcase a new smart watch fitted with an Android operating system (OS) at Google IO 2014 held in San Francisco on June 25 (local time). LG’s G Watch and Motorola’s Moto 360 are also expected to be revealed at the event.
Given that Samsung has used Android OS in smartphones and Tizen OS in wearable devices starting early this year, the showcasing of a new Android-based smart watch is unprecedented.
The industry believes that the Korean tech company’s move is aimed at strengthening its partnership with Google. Previously, Samsung released a series of Tizen-powered smart watches, but it is going to launch a new Android-based version this time to respond to the development of Android Wear, a wearable version of Google’s Android OS.
As a result, the firm is expected to use both Tizen and Android OSes in wearable devices. Samsung apparently intends to dominate the global smart watch market prior to the introduction of Apple’s much-rumored iWatch.
The Korean firm released the Galaxy Gear with a built-in Android OS last year, but exchanged the Android OS with a Tizen OS, starting from the Gear 2 early this year.