Samsung Fit hands on (MWC 2014)

Samsung Fit is a bracelet style smartwatch that offers very similar functionality to the newly announced Gear 2 and Gear Neo. However, as the name suggests, the Fit is targeted more at the booming market of fitness devices, where devices the Fitbit and Nike Plus have proven to be rather popular.

Design and hardware

The first thing you’ll notice about the Fit is that it’s much smaller than Samsung’s other smartwatches. All of the hardware is concealed tightly behind a flexible AMOLED display, including an infrared sensor, amongst others, to track your exercise performance.

Fit and comfort is going to be very important for something that you might be wearing regularly, especially when exercising. Fortunately the Galaxy Fit is very light, due in part to its small size, and the curved AMOLED display helps the device fit nicely with the contours of your wrist. The Fit also comes with an interchangeable rubber strap, suggesting that different sizes or more comfortable options could be used. Samsung will also sell several color options for the rubber strap, so this sleek little gizmo could make a great fashion accessory too.

During our time with the device, the Fit was able to resist a fair bit of rough handling, thanks to its compact build and resistance to both water and dust. Just like the Samsung Galaxy S5, the Fit is certified IP67, meaning that it is totally protected against dust and can withstand immersion in water at depths up to 15cm.

Software and features

Just like the new Galaxy Gear 2 and Gear Neo, the Fit is powered by Samsung’s new Tizen operating system. Despite its small size, the Fit retains much of the functionality found in the more conventional Samsung smartwatches, including Media Control, Find My Device, and of course, those all-important Notifications.

As far as fitness tracking goes, the Fit can count your pulse via the aforementioned infrared sensor, although this needs to be in rather tight contact with the skin to function properly, and uses its other on board sensors to track your exercise regime and in order to function as a pedometer.

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Wrap up

Samsung’s entry into the fitness market has pretty much everything that you’d expect from a fitness bracelet, combined with a sleek design that’s quite pleasing to the eye. Even if you are not into fitness or outdoors activities, the Fit is still perfectly functional as a regular smartwatch.