Samsung unveils two new Tizen-powered smartwatches -- Gear S3 Classic and Frontier

Smartwatches are curious products. Consumers are not flocking to the segment as they did for smartphones and tablets. Why? Some would say it is because the wearables duplicate the functionality of their existing devices. Fitness aside, many consumers seem to be awaiting some sort of "must have" aspect before jumping into the smartwatch waters. With that said, the Apple Watch seems to have the brightest future with its focus on medical conditions and overall well-being. It is not clear if health can drive segment growth, however.

Today, Samsung announces its latest smartwatches -- the S3 Classic (top right) and Frontier (top left). These Tizen-powered wearables feature a 1.3 inch circular Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 360 x 360. The exciting aspect, however, is the always-on nature of the screen. Lifting your arm to see a blank screen is no longer a thing -- it will always display the time. The question becomes, which of the two will you pick? Keep in mind, the differences are not just skin deep.

"Samsung Gear S3 is available in two bold designs to suit different users’ lifestyles: frontier and classic. Inspired by the active explorer, the Gear S3 frontier evokes a rugged outdoor look with an enduring style that blends form and function. The frontier was designed to perform in any setting or environment -- whether business or leisure. The Gear S3 classic pays homage to the minimalist, elegant style found in the most iconic timepieces. The classic was designed with meticulous attention to detail -- with its size and shape chosen to attain the same consistency and balance of a well-crafted luxury watch", says Samsung.

The company further explains, "in addition to its sleek look, the Gear S3 meets IP68 standards for water resistance and offers military-level durability so consumers can get through their day, regardless of weather conditions. For the first time on the Gear series, the Gear S3 features Corning Gorilla Glass SR+, which is specifically designed for wearable devices to provide a tougher, more scratch resistant and crisp display. The 16 million colors full-color Always On Display (AOD) and Super AMOLED technology further differentiates the Gear S3 from other smartwatches. The AOD always shows the time rather than automatically fading to black, embodying a sophisticated watch face that mimics the look and feel of luxury analog watch".

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There are technical differences between the two models, making your decision harder. For instance, according to Samsung, only the Frontier has 3G/LTE. If you want cellular connectivity, but like the look of the Classic, you are out of luck. Shockingly, the battery capacity (380mAh) is the same for both, meaning the Frontier should drain quicker when 3G/LTE is in use. They both have Wi-Fi, 4GB of storage and 768MB of memory, however.

Unfortunately, if you want to buy these beautiful stainless steel smartwatches, the release date is unknown beyond later this year. Pricing is a mystery too, although more should become clear soon.

Which design do you prefer? Tell me in the comments below.