Samsung Galaxy Watch 4G: Make calls as you jog, drive; costs Rs 28,490

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

As the market for wearable devices gain momentum in India -- which reaching an all-time high of 3 million shipments in the second quarter this year -- Samsung which is one of the formidable players in this segment has become aggressive in launching new smart watches in the country.

Globally, Samsung shipped 1.9 million smartwatches worldwide in Q3 2019, almost doubling from 1.1 million a year ago, according to Strategy Analytics.

To make further inroads, the company has launched the 4G version of its successful Galaxy Watch, a year later after launching it globally.

The Galaxy Watch 4G has come to India, starting at Rs 28,490 (42mm dial version).

If you are looking for a smartwatch with a massive face and a bright 1.3-inch display, this can become your perfect companion.

The smartwatch does everything, from tracking heartbeat to making calls.

It terms of design, Galaxy Watch 4G is more conventional and appealing owing to its traditional round face along with rotating bezel.

The rotating bezels helps navigate through the user interface (UI) on the smartwatch in a fashionable manner.

The rugged buttons on the side are decent and are meant to change menu as well as double up as power button.

The device features two dials -- 42 and 46mm dial (we reviewed 46mm variant which costs Rs 30,990) -- which is huge for a person with solid wrist. It is also heavier than most smartwatches out there and could weigh down heavily on your hand if you have thin wrist.

It sports a 1.3-inch AMOLED display and, as expected, the touch screen worked extremely fast. In terms of brightness, the display performed well in various light conditions. The device provides a wide-selection display faces.

The smartwatch comes with standard silicone straps which were comfortable and did not irritate throughout the day.

It is also one of the very few smartwatches in India to come with LTE connectivity on the go. With LTE support, one can receive calls, messages and stream music on the smartwatch, while performing daily workout or driving.

One can add 4G service on the Galaxy Watch 4G through the Wearable app, by adding an Airtel or Jio number during the initial pairing process. During the review period, it worked fine without any lag via Airtel network.

Alternatively, a user can get a new eSIM from a Reliance Jio or Airtel store. The watch is currently compatible with Samsung smartphones.

In terms of performance, it runs on Samsung's in-house "Tizen OS" instead of Wear OS which is quite good.

The device has 472mAh battery which lasted up to 48 hours.

The advanced fitness tracking features will keep you motivated. It automatically tracks six of the most popular exercises -- walking, running, cycling, elliptical machine, rowing and dynamic workouts.

The device also features 21 new indoor exercises from a selection of 39 activities.

Additionally, the smartwatch is designed to help users track food and water intake as well. It also comes with sleep and stress tracking features.

Conclusion: If you are planning to buy a smartwatch that is equivalent to a smartphone, Samsung's Galaxy Watch 4G is worth buying. It offers you all the premium features that you need in daily life at this price range.

(Md Waquar Haider can be reached at waquar.h@ians.in)

 

--IANS

wh/na