Did Samsung abandon the Gear S?

[Jasp615]

I got this watch in Sept of 2015 and I really like the watch. What I'm finding is that there seems to be little support for this watch like new bands or useful apps like a Samsung wallet. All items you would think this type of item would want. I know I can get bands for this watch on ebay but I like the OEM bands with the buckle. I can't seem to take a screen shot of my Starbucks bar code due to security issues. I really think doing away with the wallet and not replacing it with something that we could use was a really poor choice.

On another note....HA! I finally figured out how to dismiss all notices at once, without going into each item and doing it that way.

 

[maclancer]

Knowing how Samsung pretty much ditch most of their products very quickly, with not upgrade available. Only the high end most expensive ones are upgradeable and supported.

 

[dabombcra]

My guess is they have moved on. It is still a good watch though

 

[william63]

Knowing how Samsung pretty much ditch most of their products very quickly, with not upgrade available. Only the high end most expensive ones are upgradeable and supported.

Isn't the Gear S a high end phone? I like it better than any of the newer 2015 ones and they still sell the Gear S in stores, so there should be support!

 

[mountainbikermark]

Samsung has moved on. They are known for abandoning devices no matter how well they sell or how high end they are if they're moving a different direction, as was the case of the og Gear lineup. Samsung wallet was replaced by Samsung Pay and it's not available on the Gear S. The last firmware update I got was March of last year.

 

[Master Cole]

Knowing how Samsung pretty much ditch most of their products very quickly, with not upgrade available. Only the high end most expensive ones are upgradeable and supported.

I bought one 4 days ago after returning the Gear S2 because number sync wouldn't work with my Samsung phone that was abandoned with no OTA updates available for Lollipop 5.1.1 unless I rooted my device. I like the Gear S better even if it is older and abandoned. Still works as it's supposed to and the screen, both size and viewing is amazing. He full QWERTY keypad is great also. I'm keeping mine!
I have seen where people have rooted their Gear S watch and have switched the OS from Tizen to Android.. and running Lollipop. Some things aren't working as they should after doing this. Again, I'm gonna leave mine just as is and use it as it's meant to be used, updates or not. I get what you're saying though, it is mind boggling and frustrating when Samsung does this.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[anon(5719825)]

Is this really a surprise? Is this just a Samsung thing or do other manufacturers do this as well? I haven't worn my Gear S since about May. I got tired of the lack of developer support

Look at the Apple watch. It's still getting updates today and getting new features added. These manufacturers need to learn from Apple.

 

[Talderon]

I completely agree, if nothing else, at least keep us up to date.

Either way, I am very happy with my Gear S, decided to buy a second one as a back up and plan to stay here for a while unless the S3 is going to be the same form factor as the S. I am not happy at all with the round watch face of the S2 and am hoping this is not the way ALL smartwatch manufactures are going to go. Unless they increase the size of the face because the current design really hinders the ability to read/respond to message from the device and even though a lot of people are not happy with the need to have a separate line for the watch, I find it an invaluable feature.

 

[Jasp615]

I completely agree, if nothing else, at least keep us up to date.

Either way, I am very happy with my Gear S, decided to buy a second one as a back up and plan to stay here for a while unless the S3 is going to be the same form factor as the S. I am not happy at all with the round watch face of the S2 and am hoping this is not the way ALL smartwatch manufactures are going to go. Unless they increase the size of the face because the current design really hinders the ability to read/respond to message from the device and even though a lot of people are not happy with the need to have a separate line for the watch, I find it an invaluable feature.

Just give me an app to be able to store my cards and I'm a happy camper. I would love new OEM bands also. Other then this I'm still loving the watch.

 

[J2THELO76]

I too joined the gear s crew late in the game and I am sticking with it for a minute..I looked at other models and had the Sony smartwatches,but this suits my needs...I don't run unless being chased but can say as someone that participates in a lot of church activities, it's good to know my mom or niece can reach me if my purse is not close,so I can step outside if I need to.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Talderon]

Just give me an app to be able to store my cards and I'm a happy camper. I would love new OEM bands also. Other then this I'm still loving the watch.

Yeah, there is an app out there that has this capabilities (Keep Cards on the gear store) but I have not used it and the reviews are mixed. might want to try and see if this will work for you.

I too joined the gear s crew late in the game and I am sticking with it for a minute..I looked at other models and had the Sony smartwatches,but this suits my needs...I don't run unless being chased but can say as someone that participates in a lot of church activities, it's good to know my mom or niece can reach me if my purse is not close,so I can step outside if I need to.

Posted via the Android Central App

Yeah, my wife couldn't understand when I got this watch why I needed another SIM line for it (*I converted one of my Tablet lines into a voice/data line for the watch, so it did not add anything to our monthly bill), Then I went out to run an errand for her and forgot my phone. She called me and we talked for several minutes. Before we ended the call, i asked her to grab my cell phone off my desk and make sure it was plugged in. She never realized we weren't talking through my phone.

I love this thing!!

 

[mountainbikermark]

Yeah, there is an app out there that has this capabilities (Keep Cards on the gear store) but I have not used it and the reviews are mixed. might want to try and see if this will work for you.



Yeah, my wife couldn't understand when I got this watch why I needed another SIM line for it (*I converted one of my Tablet lines into a voice/data line for the watch, so it did not add anything to our monthly bill), Then I went out to run an errand for her and forgot my phone. She called me and we talked for several minutes. Before we ended the call, i asked her to grab my cell phone off my desk and make sure it was plugged in. She never realized we weren't talking through my phone.

I love this thing!!

Samsung Wallet had a standalone capability that Keep Cards doesn't have. SW had a widget ability on the Gear S that KC doesn't have.
If you're ok with those limitations it's pretty much the same as the former other than that. Works well as long as you're tethered to your phone. Hopefully the developer will add standalone in the future since Samsung went Samsung Pay, to replace Samsung Wallet, that will never be supported on the Gear S og.
My first time leaving my phone at home on purpose was a bit disconcerting. I forgot I'd done so and was freaking at first that I'd lost my phone or it was stolen. I've never bothered to tell anyone, except others who were interested in a Gear S, that I wasn't on my phone either via phone or texts. I've also had places where I had signal on my watch but not on my Note4 so I texted or called using the watch's number, explaining I was using a watch was why the different number than usual.

 

[Talderon]

For longevity of the device, I like that CM is coming on board, however, I would love to see Android Wear come to the watch. As much as I love CM, there are just too many things CM on a watch will and will not do.

Watch faces in particular. I feel the full android OS will be an overkill for the hardware since it will have code and drivers for things the watch does not have, unless it can be really tuned down a lot.

Regardless, it's nice to see some independent development for the OS in the works.

 

[LadyDi]

I just picked this up from a seller who sold me a pristine device. I love the non buckle bands but this may be because the seller's OEM band was really not clasping tight. I chalk it up to wear and tear but I will not buy a clasp band because I am too hard on them. I knew, prior to getting this watch, that Samsung abandons their products and still wanted this anyhow. Needless to say I had to add yet another Samsung device to my already massive Sammy collection (total of 13 products dwindled down to 9) - the S4 to make this work. I picked up an inexpensive Galaxy on Boneyard via Swappa. I am about to apply a screen protector as I know how hard I am on watch screens. I'm having fun making watch faces using Watch Styler. I have downloaded GWD but not opened it as yet. I have seen one in the wild, an older than myself gentleman who had over 10 different bands but not a leather one. Not yet anyhow. AHAHAAA!!

 

[naimmkassim]

Yes they are. they abandon it already..

 

[Harold Smith]

You should not be putting your credit card info on wireless apps unless you know exactly who is storing that data. Remember all the nudy pic fiascos with apple cloud, instagram, and the TSA. It amazes me how comfortable people are just broadcasting their sensitive data. There is no support for this smart watch. It is one of the only ones however with quad band 2g and 3g and a speaker.

 

[Harold Smith]

Nexus, look at the Apple watch indeed. You have to buy an apple phone just to use it. Apple should learn to make stand alone smart watches and stop charging people top dollar for the label, but they wont as long as there's elitists willing to pay. It's a shame you don't use such a useful tool anymore; I'd gladly take it off your hands and put it to good use. I have yet to find an "app" that would actually increase productivity, but I am not getting a smart watch for apps anyway. Perhaps you should have done more research before purchasing this product. I know ipod people aren't used to that.

 

[anon(5719825)]

Nexus, look at the Apple watch indeed. You have to buy an apple phone just to use it. Apple should learn to make stand alone smart watches and stop charging people top dollar for the label, but they wont as long as there's elitists willing to pay. It's a shame you don't use such a useful tool anymore; I'd gladly take it off your hands and put it to good use. I have yet to find an "app" that would actually increase productivity, but I am not getting a smart watch for apps anyway. Perhaps you should have done more research before purchasing this product. I know ipod people aren't used to that.

I'm talking about how Apple still supports the watch over a year later with OS updates. Isn't that what the OP is asking about here? We know the last update Samsung gave the Gear S was sometime early last spring. They gave up on it, that's all that matters and they'll do the same thing with the Gear S2.

 

[anon(5719825)]

Nexus, look at the Apple watch indeed. You have to buy an apple phone just to use it. Apple should learn to make stand alone smart watches and stop charging people top dollar for the label, but they wont as long as there's elitists willing to pay. It's a shame you don't use such a useful tool anymore; I'd gladly take it off your hands and put it to good use. I have yet to find an "app" that would actually increase productivity, but I am not getting a smart watch for apps anyway. Perhaps you should have done more research before purchasing this product. I know ipod people aren't used to that.

I'm talking about how Apple still supports the watch over a year later with OS updates.

Isn't that what the OP is asking about here, OS updates? We know the last update Samsung gave the Gear S was sometime early last spring. They gave up on it, that's all that matters and they'll do the same thing with the Gear S2.

I did research before I bought the watch. I just got bored with it plain and simple.

 

[mountainbikermark]

Nexus, look at the Apple watch indeed. You have to buy an apple phone just to use it. Apple should learn to make stand alone smart watches and stop charging people top dollar for the label, but they wont as long as there's elitists willing to pay. It's a shame you don't use such a useful tool anymore; I'd gladly take it off your hands and put it to good use. I have yet to find an "app" that would actually increase productivity, but I am not getting a smart watch for apps anyway. Perhaps you should have done more research before purchasing this product. I know ipod people aren't used to that.

Last year I was dealing with a rep at work and I needed a part ordered. She had been kinda blinging her Apple watch as we talked and she was looking up the manual for the part I needed on her iPad. After a few moments she said she didn't have it. I said ok" I'll pull it up" and opened the pdf on my Gear S. I got the part ordered and she stopped moving her watch in ways to try to make me notice what she was wearing. It would've been much easier to read the numbers on her 10" screen but tiny numbers are better than not having them.
I've got a Martian Notifier for a phone butler but for productivity I use my Gear S when at work. I have several apps that I use daily for increases in productivity. They might not be quite as snappy as using on a mammoth phone or tablet screen but they're faster than finding pen and paper and work much better than my memory.
The Wallet app was useful to me for bar codes on my money saving cards so I didn't have to dig through my wallet to find the obscure ones I rarely use or pull out my phone. Screen shots from the phone saved to my gallery work as a plan b but using the gallery app isn't as quick as Wallet was.
Many an owner does not use Apple products to maintain their elitist status but they use them because they know they'll be supported more than a few months . It took years for Apple to build that reputation and it took years for Samsung to build theirs as a manufacturer who can be counted on to abandon theirs quickly. It's why Apple rules the business world and why Samsung can't get a decent foot in the door. If you believe Apple, Samsung and carriers of their products give a rats patooty about the individual customer you are sadly mistaken. It's all about the major Benjamins not the couple at a time. Knox is Samsung's attempt to get business clients but their reputation in every other area is keeping Knox from going anywhere as far as gaining business customers.
My daughter got to say the pledge of allegiance and honor pledge at her school today. My Phone was in my truck so I just recorded the audio with my watch using Voice Memo app while standing in a hallway as it was broadcast over the pa throughout the school.
I'm ok with where Samsung abandoned the device but wish they didn't force developers who want to add updates to their apps make them render across their entire lineup. Developers, what few there are, are having a hard time making apps useful for rectangular and round screens without one or the other looking awful. They've pretty much abandoned Tizen for that reason.