Wearables are now a solid part of the mobile technology category and Samsung is rumoured to launch a round smartwatch at MWC 2015 codenamed the Orbis. Here's what we know about the device including release date and specs. Read: The best smartwatches of 2015.
Samsung has launched a number of smartwatches and activity trackers including one of the first Android Wear devices. This year, the Korean giant is rumoured to introduce a smartwatch with a round face to rival the likes of the Motorola Moto 360 and LG G Watch R called the Orbis.
Read: What to expect from MWC 2015: Samsung, Sony, HTC and LG.
Samsung Orbis smartwatch: Release date and price
According to SamMobile, which has the exclusive on the Orbis, Samsung's circular smartwatch will be announced at MWC 2015 which is scheduled for 2-5 March in Barcelona. It's where the Galaxy S6 smartphone is likely to launch.
If you like the sound of the Orbis already, then you might want to get saving as the site suggests it could cost more than the Gear S which costs £329. However, that does not require a smartphone to work fully so we expect the Orbis to be cheaper and more in-line with rivals such as the Moto 360 and G Watch R which cost around £200.
Samsung Orbis smartwatch: Design and specs
The main design aspect of the Orbis is the circular display making it look more like a regular wrist watch. The latest from SamMobile is that the device will also feature wireless charging.
Like the Apple Watch, Samsung's Orbis will use a crown shaped power button but won't offer the same functionality as its fruit flavoured rival. Instead, a rotating bezel ring around the edge will be used by the user - exactly what it will do is unclear but we assume it will be used to navigate through menus and quickly scroll through numbers when, for example, setting an alarm.
The crown, meanwhile, will supposedly wake the screen, launch S Voice with a double tap and send an emergency message.
As the patent shows at the top of the page, the Orbis could use a display which divides up the display like a pie chart to show the schedule for one day.
Specs such as the resolution, processor and operating system are unclear at the moment but we could hear more before MWC comes around. Samsung could use its own Tizen OS or Android Wear.
