Samsung Gear S2 Update Rolls Out With Samsung Pay Beta

While it may seem that Android Wear is on vacation of late, Samsung is pulling out all the stops to keep its Tizen-powered Gear S2 smartwatch from descending into obsolescence. It has just announced perhaps the biggest update to the wearable to date, almost amusingly called the Value Pack Update. But while it already has a ton of new features for owners to explore, it apparently also hides one little tidbit for the more tech savvy user who wants to be truly rid of paper and cards in their wallets.

Unsurprisingly, bulk of the updates have to do with watch faces. Because, after all, that's your primary interface for a smartwatch. A key change here is how users will be able to browse for and download new designs. In the old days, which is to say before this Value Pack Update, you'd have to do it all from the Gear Manager app on your smartphone, which, of course, requires you to get your smartphone out. Now users can do all that from the comfort of their wrists. There are also more options to personalize your watch face, as you can choose one of your photos as your smartwatch background.

The update isn't purely about aesthetics, of course. Added functionality include more S Health options, like sleep tracking and posting to social networks. S Voice has also learned how to set a timer. The calendar is also more helpful now, as it actually shows a little green dot beneath dates that have appointments in them. The contacts app also makes it easier to call a contact or send a message with a swipe.

The Gear Manager app on smartphones also gets an update, now featuring a "Contact Us" option in its menu. But perhaps the most interesting new feature is somewhat hidden. Users will find that they now have a Samsung Pay Beta option which, as the name itself says, lets them take Samsung's wireless payment option for a spin. The test, however, is limited only to the US and only for shops that have NFC terminals, as the Gear S2 doesn't have the hardware for magnetic strip transmission (MST).

SOURCE: Samsung

VIA: SamMobile