October 30, 2024

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Samsung Electronics' new fitness band Galaxy Fit3 (Samsung Electronics)

Samsung Electronics said Thursday that it would launch a new fitness band globally, more than three years after unveiling its predecessor in October 2020.

The Galaxy Fit3 is designed with an aluminum body and a 1.6-inch display, which is 45 percent wider than the previous model, the Galaxy Fit2, making it easier for users to check detailed health insights on the wearable device.

The device provides health monitoring features for over 100 types of exercises, sleep and stress levels. The most notable updates to the smart band are fall detection and an emergency service feature.

Users can make an emergency call to a preset number for quick assistance. By pressing the side button five times, they can also send out an SOS message, informing of an emergency.

It also has enhanced connectivity with Samsung's flagship Galaxy smartphones. The Galaxy Fit3's camera remote control function allows users to take photos directly from their wrist-connected phone. The media control functions also manage media playback on the paired smartphones.

When users want to get ready for bed or not be disturbed, they can automatically sync modes between their wearable device and smartphone. If a smartphone is misplaced, users can easily locate it with the Find My Phone feature on the Galaxy Fit3 as well.

It also includes a battery that can last up to 13 days on a single charge.

The Galaxy Fit3 will be available from Friday in some countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America. However, the official release date for the domestic market has not yet been announced.

Color options for the latest wearable device are gray, silver and pink gold.

While the company said it would unveil the price with the official launch, industry sources predict that it would cost around 100,000 won ($75.20), which doubles the price compared with the previous device.

The Galaxy Fit lineup is a fitness band optimized for measuring exercise and activity, and is a wearable product designed to manage users' health. It offers similar features to the tech giant's Galaxy Watch series but is less than half the price.

Market watchers initially predicted that Samsung would discontinue the Galaxy Fit lineup due to the issue of profitability, but as the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the growth of the healthcare market, Samsung has boosted its burgeoning health solutions business on its smartwatches from last year and launched the new fitness band.

By Jie Ye-eun (yeeun@heraldcorp.com)