Exclusive: Samsung's round smartwatch to be called Gear A, have 3G and calling support

First off, we can confirm that the Orbis will be launched as the Gear A, or at least that's what the signs are pointing to at the moment. The Gear A will come in two variants – a standard one with Bluetooth connectivity, and one with 3G and calling support (both variants should support Wi-Fi.) The Gear S also supported Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity. Two variants, one without all the bells and whistles, would be a good move considering the 3G variant is no doubt going to be quite pricey, if we go by the launch price of the Gear S.

Also Read: Gear S Review

We have also managed to obtain the model numbers for the Gear A for various carriers and for the unlocked model. There will be two main model numbers – SM-R720 and SM-R730. The SM-R730 should be the one with 3G support here, as that's the model that Samsung be selling through carriers. There's also an SM-R732 for South Korean carriers, though we're not sure if this one will be any different other than being locked to these particular carriers.

Here's the full list of model numbers.

• • SM-R720
• • SM-R730
• • SM-R730A (AT&T)
• • SM-R730P (Sprint)
• • SM-R730V (Verizon)
• • SM-R730T (T-Mobile)
• • SM-R730S
• • SM-R732S (SKT)
• • SM-R732K (KT)
• • SM-R732L (LG U+)

With the Apple Watch nearing a retail release, it's imperative for Samsung to make sure its next smartwatch can offer a good argument for why people should opt for it over Apple's first smartwatch. Given how Samsung totally knocked it out of the park with the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, we wouldn't be surprised if the Gear A is better than any Gear watch that has come before.