Owners of Samsung’s most recent smartwatch (once removed) are in line for a fairly significant software update today. Although the Galaxy Watch is more recent, owners of the Gear S3 have not been forgotten.

The update is around 300MB worth, and for a wearable, that’s pretty significant.

So what’s inside? Here’s the official changelog from Samsung:

  • Samsung Health: Support various indoor workouts and back-to-back workout
  • Samsung Health Widget: Samsung Health Widget now also supports and provides sleep stages information
  • Advanced: Two advanced modes (Theater, Sleep) are added to keep user from disturbance during specific time and place. Modes can be toggled from quick panel
  • Quick Panel: Newly added quick settings, easier and faster interaction
  • Messages: Draft messages can now be saved. Additionally, showing MMS image on notification cover view and animated images are automatically played. Replying is now quicker and easier. Over 1,000 emojis supported.
  • Music: User can change to different music play source on watch instead of using a phone
  • Settings menu: Improved categorizing of menus for better discovery of features and items
  • Call: User can now navigate to other screen and/or use other features and apps while on a call

Some of the major changes are improved theatre mode (to stop your watch waking up when it shouldn’t), as well as general improvements to animation speed and battery life seems to be better, too.

If you’re using a Samsung Gear S3, jump into the Galaxy Wearable app and check for the update. It does take a while to transfer over to your watch, so my suggestion would be get it started and find something else to do to avoid wrecking the update.

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Norm

This story is just click bait. Looks like the author read somewhere that the roll out was happening over seas so just invented the local rollout.

Simon

Nothing for me either

Henry

Same here what’s the hold up?
Note 9 Android Pie S3 Frontier

Simon Kaye

Nothing for me either

Demian

Still haven’t got the update here for my s3 frontier or the 9.0 for my carrier free note 9…anyone else?

henry

Will the update be for the Gear Sport also? I thought its running same software as S3

Phill Edwards

Disappointed there’s no S2 update available.

Simon

Got my update

Robert

No update for my S3 either.

For what it’s worth, I only paid $299 for my S3 Frontier from JB HiFi, simply by asking for their best price.

Shane Schossow

No update for my s3

Shane

No update available for me. Galaxy Note 9 running Android 9.0. Gear S3 Frontier.

Jay

Won’t recommend the galaxy watch unless you want cellular connectivity not worth the extra money eBay right have some good deals on the galaxy watch but can save good $100 on s3 even the sport

mikedoeslife

Hmm. I see Gear S3s going on Gumtree for a couple hundred bucks… any particular reason I should go for a Galaxy Watch over the Gear S3?

Gary Alexander Bailey

definitely

mikedoeslife

Go on…

Jamie S

Not that I’m aware of. I still love my Gear S3. Gear S3 has MST and NFC. Galaxy watch only has NFC

Tom Sekulic

If you want *working* Heart Rate monitoring and *accurate* Step counting, do not bother with Samsung watches! They’re plagued with issues. Speaking from experience: I have a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4G.

Henry

Only the 50m water-resistance, different styles, and smaller 42mm sizes. Obviously the Galaxy Watch will get software support longer overtime, but they’re nearly identical watches. Performance and battery life is improved, but imperceptible according to reviews. You also get a useless and naive Bixby on the Galaxy Watch.

Tizen still suffers from a lack of app support and isn’t as utilitarian, so a WearOS smartwatch may be a better (sometimes cheaper) alternative such as the Mobvoi TicWatch range, Misfit Vapour, or Fossil line-up.