Samsung intros the Galaxy Watch Active 2 smartwatch

Just as expected, the new Galaxy Watch smartwatch is here. Although most of its specs simply confirm the latest rumors about it, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 also comes with a few surprises. According to Samsung, this smart wearable "takes personalized wellness to the next level, and lets you enjoy more flexibility than ever with LTE connectivity."

The list of technical specs includes a dual-core Exynos 9110 processor, 768 MB of memory (1.5 GB for the LTE models), 4 GB of internal storage space, 1.2-inch or 1.4-inch Super AMOLED display with 360 x 360 pixels, a 247 mAh (40 mm) or 340 mAh (44 mm) battery with WPC-based wireless charging. The list of sensors includes a heart rate monitoring module with eight photodiodes, electrocardiogram (ECG), gyro, accelerometer, barometer, and an ambient light sensor. In terms of connectivity, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 comes with Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, NFC, A-GPS with GLONASS and Beidou support. One interesting fact that many seem to overlook is that this wearable can also play YouTube videos.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 comes in two styles — lightweight aluminum with a casual Fluoroelastomer (FKM) Band and premium solid stainless steel with a leather strap — and two different sizes, unsurprisingly measuring 40 and 44 mm in diameter. Obviously, the smartwatch can be further personalized using various watch faces and straps. The aluminum models come in Cloud Silver, Aqua Black, and Pink Gold, while the stainless steel ones can be acquired in silver, black, or gold. 

Rated 5 ATM and IP68, this new smartwatch is also MIL-STD-810G certified and works with Android and iOS devices that run at least Android 5.0 Lollipop (and have at least 1.5 GB of memory) and iOS 9.0. In the US, pre-orders will kick off on September 6 and the release date has been set for September 23. The prices start at US$280 for the non-LTE 40 nm aluminum model, so the LTE variants will surely start above US$300. In Europe, the LTE Galaxy Watch Active 2 in stainless steel starts at the equivalent of US$503.