If you’re still rocking the 2015 Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch, your wrist wear is getting an entirely unexpected upgrade.
Samsung has rolled out a new update that, according to reports, improves battery life, security and perhaps even the One UI interface seen on newer watches like the Galaxy Watch Active 2.
The latter claim comes via the Tizen Help website. We don’t have an S2 available at the moment in order to verify that claim, but it would certainly be an unexpected boost for those staying faithful to the smartwatch.
The report says:
“The new update has got the new interface of Galaxy Watch Active 2 that you will see all the icons & widgets the same as the new Galaxy watches.”
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It’s not clear yet how much additional battery life the update will bring, but that’s likely to play out in testing. SamMobile reports the new firmware update arrives under the version number R730AUCU3CQK1 and is contained within 6.79MB file.
You can see the update represented in the screenshot below.
If you’re still using the Tizen-based Gear S2, you can check for an update within the Galaxy Wearable app on the smartphone of your choosing. Head to Watch Software and hit Download and Install if the update is available.
In our original review of the Gear S2 smartwatch, we afforded it 3.5 out of a possible 5 stars, praising its bright and sharp display and the rotating bezel which carried over into future generations of Samsung wearables.
Our reviewer wrote: “A well-built smartwatch with a great screen, but it’s let down by a lack of support and the half-baked Tizen operating system.”
Not only is it a surprise that Samsung has updated such a long-in-the-tooth wearable device, it’s doubly so considering it hasn’t so much as winked at the Gear S2 in a couple of years.
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Editorial independence
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.