On Thursday, Samsung introduced its new Note 9 smartphone. At the same time, it announced the upcoming launch of the Galaxy Watch. The new wearable device, which is available beginning on Aug. 24 alongside the Note 9, replaces the Gear S3 watch which was introduced by the company two years ago.Â
The Galaxy Watch looks a lot like the Gear S3 Classic, but its external specs sound a lot like the Apple Watch. The new watch, for example, launches in rose gold, silver, and midnight black. It’s also available in two sizes (instead of one like the Gear S3), 42mm and 46mm. The former is priced at $329.99 while the latter will launch for  $349.99.
As you can see, the watch retains the circular shape of its predecessors. The 46mm version is 46mm by 49mm by 13mm thick and weighs 63 grams. By contrast, the 42mm model measures 41.9mm by 45.7mm by 12.7mm and weighs 49 grams.
Regarding its display, the Galaxy Watch uses Corning Gorilla DX+ glass with an AMOLED screen underneath. Samsung promises it’s fully water-safe, rated for 5ATM submersion with IP68 and MIL-STD-810G certifications.
Both the 42mm and 46mm versions include a full-color, always-on AMOLED screen with 360 by 360 resolution. The smaller version includes a 1.2-inch display, while the larger unit has a 1.3-inch screen.
Like the Gear S3, the Galaxy Watch retains Samsung’s Tizen operating system.
Finally, regarding battery life, Samsung says the watch can be used for “several” days between charges, or up to 80+ plus hours on the 46mm model versus 45+ hours on the 42mm model.
It will be interesting to see how the fourth-generation Apple Watch measures up to the Galaxy Watch. Apple’s new wearable device is likely to be announced next month alongside three new iPhones.
As we discover more about the Galaxy Watch, we’ll update this post.