Update: While T-Mobile and Verizon have offered support for some time, AT&T has now announced that the Samsung Gear S3 Classic will be available for its network starting on May 26 for $49 if you purchase it alongside a Samsung Galaxy S8. If not, it will cost $249 with a two-year contract.
Original article follows below.
As big fashion names like Movado step into smartwatches and mainstays like Swatch are planning their own wearable OS, this past month has put the spotlight on wrist-mounted machines, and Samsung has ensured it won't leave without an announcement of its own.
The tech giant's revealed that the Classic version of its recently launched smartwatch, the Samsung Gear S3, will soon be available with 4G LTE functionality .
This means both variants of Samsung's smartwatch have the option to function without being tethered to another smart device. Certain LTE-capable smartphone owners, based on their provider, can even share calls to their S3 without springing for a new phone number, according to Samsung.
Until now, only the more rugged-looking Frontier Edition of the S3 had standalone LTE capability, but now customers can opt for a more casual bezel for their smartwatch while still getting that sweet, sweet cellular capability.
The LTE-enabled version of the Gear S3 Classic will be available through AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon in the US, with each provider having the final say on price and availability.
...and now for something completely different
In other Samsung wearable news, the company was also a guest at this year's Baselworld convention, using the event's focus on luxury wristwear to show off three new concepts for the Gear S3, which you can browse below:
The first concept takes the Gear S3 from a wristwatch to a pocketwatch, the second puts a spin on the original S3 with a new bezel design, and the third looks like a regular S3, but swaps in traditional Swiss-made movement and details.
“Samsung’s presence at Baselworld demonstrates the evolving world of technology and horology,” said Yvan Arpa, the designer behind the new concepts, as well as the original Samsung Gear S3.
While more proof-of-concept than a flat-out product announcement, the pieces do stand out aesthetically, and let's admit it: the pocketwatch concept with the compass added on top looks just plain fun.
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