Samsung officially announces Gear S2 and S2 Classic

After plenty of leaks, hints, and teasers, Samsung has now formally announced the round Gear S2 smartwatch ahead of IFA 2015. As the FCC listings previously alluded to, the Gear S2 will launch in both a regular and classic edition. The Gear S2 has a more sporty and modern look in either dark gray or silver with a white band, while the classic has a black finish and matching leather band that gives it a more elegant and traditional aesthetic.

Both models of the Gear S2 feature the same specs, including a dual-core 1GHz processor, a 1.2-inch circular display with a resolution of 360 x 360, 512MB RAM, 4GB storage, IP68 dust/water resistance, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC for mobile payments, and a variety of sensors such as an accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate monitor, ambient light, and barometer. Samsung says the 250mAh battery will last about 2 to 3 days and will recharge using wireless technology. As for the controls, the Gear S2 offers a rotating bezel, as well as a home and back button for easily dealing with notifications.

As you’d expect, the Gear S2 runs on Tizen and that means you won’t have the large library of Android Wear apps, but Samsung says they have a number of built-in apps ready to go and are working with developers to quickly expand their library. Judging by their past watches, it is likely that the Gear S2 will only be compatible with select Samsung devices, but with Android Wear branching out into iOS territory, it is possible Samsung will broaden support this time around to better keep up with the competition.

We don’t know pricing or release details for the Gear S2 just yet, though we imagine that Samsung will clarify their plans at IFA. What do you think based on what we know so far?