Is Samsung about to release a standalone smartwatch? Device could work without being connected to a phone, claim sources

Samsung is due to release a smartwatch that can send texts and make calls without having to sync to a smartphone.

The South Korean company plans to unveil the smartwatch over the next few months in a bid to take a larger slice of the wearable technology market.

The unnamed smartwatch will be able to take photos, send emails, monitor the wearer’s heart rate and use GPS tracking, according to sources close to the company.

A smartwatch design patent, which may be related to Samsung’s standalone phone-watch, has also been published by United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).The patent suggests Samsung's new smartwatch will have a round face resembling Motorola's Android Wear powered Moto 360

Samsung has declined to say what the device will be called, how much it will cost or whether a user will make calls by holding the watch close to his or her mouth.

 

But the group is currently in talks with carriers in the U.S., South Korea and Europe about its plans, the Wall Street Journal reports.

A smartwatch design patent, which may be related to Samsung’s standalone phone-watch, has also just been published by United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

The patent suggests Samsung's new smartwatch will have a round face resembling Motorola's Android Wear powered Moto 360.

Samsung already has four smartwatches on the market, including the Galaxy Gear (left), powered by Google's Android operating system, and the Gear 2 (right)

Galaxy Gear is one of Samsung's four smartwatch offerings

Samsung already has four smartwatches on the market, including the Galaxy Gear, powered by Google's Android operating system, and the Gear 2.

But all of these devices need to connect to a smartphone to make calls connect to the internet.

The new system is expected to be the first standalone watch-phone system from a major manufacturer. Analysts expect the device to run on the Tizen operating system.

Market research firm IDC expects shipments of wearable devices, such as smartwatches, to triple this year to more than 19 million units.

The group said smartphone sales are expected to increase 19 per cent this year to 1.2 billion units.

Apple, Samsung's closest competitor in smartphones, is expected to launch its own smartwatch later this year.