Perhaps trying to match Apple's promised "very busy fall," Samsung has announced it will unveil the Galaxy Gear, a smart watch, on Sept. 4, Bloomberg reported.
Two sources familiar with the details said the wristwatch device will be able to place calls, browse the web and read emails. Its launch date, two days before the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, is also the same day Samsung will unveil the Galaxy Note 3.
"It will carve a niche for sure as this is an initial product in the market," said Chung Chang Won, an analyst at Nomura Holdings Inc. in Seoul. "Wearable devices could be one of the trends in the smartphone market, but I'm not sure yet whether watches or glasses will set the trend."
The Galaxy Gear will go on sale this year and should compete with a similar Apple device. Apple has already filed patent papers for the name "iWatch," so a device is expectedly on the way, but it is not clear when.
Samsung and Apple are two of the technology industries biggest rivals and have fired back and forth between each other with various lawsuits. While the iPhone is the world's most popular smartphone, Samsung is the leading seller with numerous models in its stock.
However, neither were the first to explore wearable devices. Sony has already released two versions of its SmartWatch. Apple and Samsung are also looking to join Sony in producing other devices, like TVs.
Along with the SmartWatch 2, Sony also released the Xperia Ultra Z, an HD TV with a 1,920x1,080-pixel display. Apple and Samsung are reportedly also producing smart TVs to complement their line of smartphones and other devices.
The Galaxy Gear will not have a flexible display, as it was reported earlier this month the feature was being held up due to not being able to make a flexible battery.
Two other sources previously told Bloomberg in February Apple had assigned 100 designers to their own smart watch project. Another source said they too are looking to release their wearable device in 2013.
