Samsung rolled out a major software update for its Gear Fit smart band that changes the sideways-landscape mode into a more convenient portrait mode.
Samsung, the biggest smartphone maker, is making some alterations to the newly launched Gear Fit smart band before it hits the market, Friday. The latest update to the health tracking fitness band replaces the sideways-landscape mode found on the Gear Fit with a portrait mode for easy viewing. The device's horizontal screen suits the landscape mode UI, but only until you wear it. Users needed to turn their arm around to read what's displayed on the screen, which is no longer the case.
The latest firmware update to the Gear Fit includes a series of new features. Besides the portrait mode, Fit features a new sleep tracker that monitors and gathers sleep data of the wearer, a function that is popular in other fitness bands such as Jawbone Up. The Gear Fit band will also receive new watch faces, best suited for the vertical display mode, according to CNET.
Among other things, the Gear Fit will let users change the layout of the icons, homescreen and even add a personal photo to the background. The Korean tech giant also addressed some sync malfunctions with the S Health app in its latest update.
Samsung took the off the wraps from its Gear Fit smartband February 24, and it will be available for purchase alongside Samsung Galaxy S5, Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo starting Friday. The fitness band comes with a stylish look, super 1.84-inch curved AMOLED touch display, and changeable straps with color options in black, orange, grey, red, green, blue and brown. The smartband also pairs with Galaxy smartphones via Bluetooth to show notifications for incoming calls, text messages, emails, alarms and others. The Gear Fit is IP67 certified with dust and water resistance making it more durable for continuous use.
The changes will be applied to the Gear Fit smartband right out of the box or will be available as a software update, starting Friday. The Gear Fit can also be pre-ordered from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and other retailers if patience is not your strong suit. The wearable gadget hits a price range of $200, same as the Gear 2 Neo smartwatch.
