Samsung phones from next year are not compatible with older smartwatches

Samsung phones from next year will no longer be compatible with older Galaxy and Gear smartwatches. That is stated in a message that Samsung has distributed. Current models will continue to work with the older watches and fitness trackers.

These are models from 2013 and 2014, according to the list from the Samsung Members app, which GalaxyClub put online. These include the first Galaxy Gear, Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear S. Also the fitness tracker Gear Fit from 2014 will no longer work with phones that appear in 2021, Samsung reports in the message.

It is unknown why Samsung is dropping support. It is also unclear how many of the wearables are still in use. The South Korean manufacturer has since made a lot of newer models, such as the Gear S2 in 2015 and Gear S3 in 2016, followed by the line of Galaxy Watch models since then. Phones that appeared until 2020 will continue to work with the older models, also in 2021 and beyond.

Samsung started releasing smartwatches as accessories for telephones in 2013. Before that, it previously worked on watches that could function independently as a telephone, such as the S9110 from 2009.

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