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Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Samsung’s rumoured standalone smartwatch — that would make calls without needing to be synced to a smartphone — could be called the ‘Gear Solo’, according to a fresh report concerning the South Korean tech giant’s wearable tech plans.
The ‘Gear Solo’ moniker is likely to be applied to the phone-free gadget, the Korea Herald reports, citing unnamed sources, also writing that Samsung has filed a patent with that name with the Korean Intellectual Property Office.
The ‘Solo’ name could still be changed following internal discussion, it’s reported, while earlier rumours suggested the standalone watch would only be available in South Korea at first. I’ve asked Samsung for comment on the latest whispers, and I’ll update this story if I hear back.
Samsung has been working on a standalone Gear for some time, people familiar with the company’s plans have previously told CNET.
Wearable tech at Mobile World Congress (pictures)
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Samsung’s first crop of smartwatches require a Bluetooth connection to a smartphone to make calls. Setting the smartwatch free could one day remove the need to carry a phone entirely — though gadgets like the Gear 2 are definitely designed to serve as a compliment to a smartphone, rather than as do-it-all devices.
Smartphones aren’t going anywhere soon (there’s no smartwatch version of Candy Crush, for one thing), but it would be interesting to see how a phone-independent watch fares. Stay tuned for more news, and let us know whether you’d scrap your smartphone for a smartwatch in the comments below.
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