Gear S2 receives firmware update, gets new features

The Gear S2 is available only in certain markets around the world right now, but the smartwatch has already started receiving firmware updates. Today, Samsung has rolled out a new firmware update for the Gear S2 in South Korea.

A senior member of the XDA Developers Forum who goes by the name supersoulfly has been kind enough to list down all the details regarding this update. According to the member, the new firmware update with build number R732XXU2BOKF doesn’t come with any change log, but the software adds little new features that makes the device easier to use.

New features and enhancements

• ‘Add Widgets’ label: There’s a new ‘Add Widget’s label under the plus symbol, which makes the action easier to understand.
• Auto Open Apps: When you activate this new option, apps open automatically once you stop rotating the bezel on an icon.
• Vibrate When Disconnected: Under the connection settings, you can use this  option so that the watch vibrates as soon as it gets disconnected with your smartphone.
• Screen timeout options: 15 secs, 30 secs, 1 min, or 5 minutes.
• New apps: World clock, Starbucks, a navigation app (for South Korean), and Flipboard News Briefing app.
• New watchfaces: Nothing new, but the same watchfaces that were showcased during the device announcement.
• Notification Indicator: There’s a little orange circle that acts as a notification indicator. It appears only when notifications aren’t set to wake up the screen.
• Larger Notification Text: When you double tap on a notification, the text grows bigger so you can easily read the information. Also, when you swipe up from a notification to dismiss it, a trash can symbol appears.
• Notification Reply: A smiley symbol has been replaced with a simple and more traditional icon.
• Watch Face Template: When you scroll right from the watchface menu, you can use the ‘Add Template’ option to customise the watchface and save it as a template.

Since the Gear S2 isn’t available in a lot of markets, we think that this firmware will be pre-installed on the devices where Samsung plans to release the smartwatch in the coming days. Also, the update might soon be released to the Gear S2 units in markets where the wearable is already available.

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