The Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch appears to be struggling already, with retailers claiming the techy timepiece is suffering from 30 per cent return rates.
With early adopters seemingly somewhat nonplussed with the smartphone syncing wristwear, leaked documents from US retailer Best Buy have hinted that almost a third of all Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatches sold have already been returned.
The leaked papers have stated:
With this high return rate sure to be a major concern to both retailers and Samsung as the manufacturer, it has been reported that Best Buy “has asked that Samsung employees on site help try to figure out why this is.”
Overall the Samsung Galaxy Gear has had a troubled first month on sale, with mixed reviews for the smartwatch widely criticising its lofty price tag and limited compatibility with just the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 at launch.
In our own Samsung Galaxy Gear review, we awarded the Sony Smartwatch 2 rival just 4/10, stating that while the Samsung Galaxy Gear might be the device which brings smartwatches to the fore, it isn’t the one to convince the masses to adopt.
We added: “The Gear is under supported, overpriced and feels like a rushed effort, made to beat the competition, and rumoured competition, that has failed to achieve its potential.”
Last week Samsung confirmed that an Android 4.3 update had started to be rolled out for a number of its leading smartphones, with the software patch to add support for the Samsung Galaxy Gear, amongst other things.
Following the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update, Samsung Galaxy Gear compatibility has started to be added to a range of handsets, with the Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy S3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 2 all on the receiving end.
On top of this, Samsung has confirmed that a secondary update, at the end of October, will bring Gear support to more handsets, including the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, S4 Active, Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 and Mega 5.8.
“Extending the Galaxy Gear compatibility to more Galaxy devices reflects our deep commitment to continuing to deliver our consumers enriched mobile experiences,” JK Shin, CEO and President of the Samsung Mobile said in unveiling the update.
“Through a significant effort to enhance and enrich Samsung Galaxy experience, Samsung continues to empower our users to have smart freedom in their mobile lives with Galaxy Gear.”
Responding to the reports of high Samsung Galaxy Gear return rates, an official Samsung spokesperson told us: “The Samsung Galaxy Gear has received positive consumer feedback globally. We will continue to respond to our consumer needs.”
Read More: Samsung Galaxy S5 rumours
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Via: Geek
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
