There are only a few months left until Samsung launches the Galaxy Watch 5 generation, however, according to a report from Sammobile, Samsung is considering dropping the Classic version and probably will not continue to use the rotating bezel. physics on the new generation of smartwatches. If this is true, then it is a bad decision.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the physically rotating bezel is one of the most loved features on Samsung smartwatches. It’s been used since the company’s smartwacths are branded “Gear”.
The bezel at the time was really big and aggressive. It’s a smart design with its own character, while also having useful functions. Users can rotate the border to scroll through widgets, screens and applications, which is one of the very intuitive controls that even anyone can get used to at first use.
However, almost no other brand’s smartwatch on the market uses this rotation. The closest thing that can be mentioned is the Misfit Vapor with a touch bezel, but Misfit later removed this feature on subsequent versions.
It can be said that, if you have never worn a Samsung bezel smartwatch, it is difficult to imagine the level of “hands-on” when using the physically rotating bezel. The clicks it made made the Apple Watch boring. It’s much more enjoyable than a touchscreen and works whether you’re wearing gloves or sweating after a run.
This is also a fan favorite feature. A lot of people search about this bezel before buying a Samsung smartwatch. People keep looking to see if Samsung will keep the bezel to the next generation. When the Galaxy Watch 3 came out, Samsung even had a support page stating which of its watches had a physically rotating bezel.
To be fair, the removal of the Classic doesn’t necessarily mean that Samsung will get rid of the bezel navigation feature altogether.
Samsung removed the bezel navigation on the Galaxy Watch Active, and this did not satisfy customers, just 6 months later, Samsung launched the Watch Active 2 with a capacitive bezel. It basically did what Misfit wanted to do with the Vapor, but better. This is a pretty reasonable choice because the design of the Active product line is slimmer and sleeker. It’s a great way to retain functionality without ruining the design.
The problem is that the inductive ring is not really as useful as the physical ring. It doesn’t work exactly. It’s easy to slip through the app you’re looking for and it takes time to use it effectively. In addition, it also does not work well every time your hands are sweaty.
Samsung has offered four sizes in two distinct styles on the Galaxy Watch 4, so it would not be a wise decision for the company to remove one of its iconic design touches.
In the best-case scenario where Samsung retains the physical bezel, it’s the company rebranding. Another rumor about the Galaxy Watch 5 is that instead of the Classic, Samsung will introduce a Pro model.
All we know so far is that the Watch Pro will have a significantly larger battery than the Galaxy Watch 4 and will also be much larger in size.
If Samsung only kept the physically rotating bezel for the Watch Pro and its size was really large, they would create less choice for consumers. Those with smaller wrists who want a mid-sized watch that still has a physically rotating bezel will not have a good solution.
Hopefully somehow, the rotating physical bezel will still be retained on the next generation of Galaxy Watch.
Reference: TheVerge
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