At the events, up and down the country, Samsung gave competitors the chance to preview the course in virtual reality with their Gear VR headsets, as well as getting ‘hands on’ with their smart watches, Gear Fit2 and Gear S3.

Photo accredited to Jack Terry

Samsung also bought along an extra obstacle for competitors to try out and capture a 360 image whilst hanging in the air. This image was captured on a Gear 360 camera and sent straight to the competitor’s inbox, for them to enjoy and share.

Additionally, Samsung was the exclusive sponsor of the finisher Legionnaire obstacle, ‘Kong’ – 30ft high gorilla swinging rings, which saw competitors take on the challenge and capture their attempt in 360.

This weekend, as the sun shone, Alice Liveing, Olivia Cox and Deni Kirkova took on the Tough Mudder challenge on behalf of Samsung at London South with Legionnaire Born Barikor.

Photo accredited to Jack Terry

Read Deni and Olivia’s experience of the day here.

For more information about the partnership, visit: http://www.samsung.com/uk/tough-mudder/ and follow the live action via #DoWhatYouCant

The Speedo On tracking app measures key swim metrics including lap count, lap time and stroke type to easily track and incorporate swim achievements into personal fitness goals. Paired with the two new devices, consumers have options for what works best to complement their activity needs in the water; Gear Sport is a sleek and stylish smartwatch with premium features while the Gear Fit2 Pro is an all-new ergonomic fitness band with continuous heart rate monitoring and GPS tracking. The data from Speedo On is also compatible with Samsung Health, Samsung’s comprehensive fitness tracking platform, to deliver a broader picture of health and wellness information.

The new Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro features the Speedo On swim tracking app pre-installed, which is powered by Speedo’s expertly developed algorithm for optimum accuracy and seamless data transfer into the Speedo On web-based platform. Developed for data-driven fitness swimmers, the interactive swim tracking platform acts as a comprehensive training partner. It offers analysis of your swims and tracks your progress against your fitness goals, along with additional training programs, tips and advice tailored to you – developed by some of the world’s best coaches and athletes. Speedo On, also gives swimming a social dimension, allowing you to follow other swimmers, take part in challenges and share achievements. On both the Samsung Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro the Speedo On app enables swimmers to complete time trials and get their SWOLF score (a swim efficiency measure).

“Our Gear customers have been looking for more water-resistant products, and now with the Speedo partnership and the Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro, we are delivering the best experience to meet their demands,” said Kiseon Kim, Vice President of Wearable Product Strategy Team at Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “As we look to meet the changing needs of consumers and their desire to track a range of activities and wellness factors – we are excited to bring these unique capabilities to consumers who love being in the water.”

“Speedo is committed to inspiring more people to get into the pool to achieve their fitness goals. Our collaboration with Samsung is the first of its kind and brings the very best of Samsung’s technological innovation together with Speedo’s swim expertise to provide fitness-focused swimmers with a completely new level of tracking,” said Rob Hicking, Brand Director at Speedo International. “We look forward to seeing what we can achieve together in the pool.”

About Speedo®

The world’s leading swimwear brand, Speedo is passionate about life in and around the water, creating revolutionary new technologies, designs and innovations and supporting swimming from grass-roots through to elite level.  In the 1920s Speedo made history with the Racerback: the world’s first non-wool suit. In 2008 Speedo redefined swimwear again with Fastskin LZR RACER – the fastest and most technologically advanced swimsuit ever created. In 2015, Speedo launched the Fastskin LZR Racer X, the first suit engineered to help swimmers feel their fastest. Its development was made possible through analyses of the physical and psychological aspects of competitive swimming with over 330 elite swimmers.  Speedo is owned by Speedo Holdings B.V and distributed in over 170 countries around the world; to find out more visit: www.speedo.com. SPEEDO, the ARROW device, FASTSKIN, AQUALAB, RACING SYSTEM, BIOFUSE, SPEEDO ENDURANCE, SCULPTURE and LZR RACER are registered trademarks of Speedo Holdings B.V. The LZR RACER suit has worldwide design rights and patents. The FASTSKIN³ cap, goggle and suit have worldwide design rights and patents pending. Speedo On is available on Android, iOS and web https://on.speedo.com.

About Speedo On

Speedo On is the new swim training platform from Speedo. Designed to improve the swimming experience and get more people swimming, more often. Users will be able to enjoy personalized recommendations to keep them on track towards their goals, motivated to carry on, and focusing on the best ways for them, personally, to be at their best.

Users will be able to:

• Set personal goals
• Share achievements with other swimmers
• Track their swims
• Analyze their swim fitness metrics
• Access workouts and training plans created by some of the world’s best coaches and athletes
• Consume content relevant to their personal goals and swimming performance
• Take part in challenges

Samsung Electronics today introduced three new devices to its industry-leading wearable portfolio: Gear Sport, a sleek and versatile fitness-focused smartwatch that is water resistant; Gear Fit2 Pro, an upgraded GPS sports band with smart features; and Gear IconX, a second generation of the company’s groundbreaking cord-free earbuds. Samsung’s new Gear devices were designed to help consumers get the most out of their day, and help them live a healthy and well-balanced life.

The new Gear devices assist with a range of activities – from robust fitness tracking to nutrition and sleep monitoring, as well as motivational coaching as a lifestyle companion. By introducing new smart capabilities and easy-to-use features, and by partnering with leading names in tech and fitness, Samsung is helping consumers go beyond fitness and accomplish big things.

“At Samsung, we celebrate the everyday athlete – whether you’re going for a light jog, or training for your next triathlon. We have a long history of embracing choice and innovation, and our wearables are designed to help consumers of varying fitness levels meet their goals and aspirations. We want to help remove the stigma that fit can only mean one thing and that fitness trackers are complex and for only the most intense of workouts,” said DJ Koh, President of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. “Our new Samsung Gear wearables help consumers ‘go beyond fitness’ and enjoy an active, balanced and fulfilled life in a smart and seamless way.”

As part of this updated line-up, Samsung created new capabilities for Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro:

• Industry-Leading Water Resistance and Swim Tracking: An ideal companion for any swim – from laps to playing in the pool – these devices are 5 ATM¹ certified for water resistance. Now with Speedo’s latest swimming training app, Speedo On, the Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro also allow you to easily track key swim metrics including lap count, lap time, stroke type and more.
• Top-of-the-line Heart Rate Monitoring: With improved accuracy, the devices offer advanced real-time heart rate monitoring. They help you continuously monitor your heart activity – whether it’s enjoying a stress-free nap or an invigorating cycling class.
• Premium Partnerships: Daily activity can be supplemented with updated Under Armour and Spotify partnerships. Both devices provide access to Under Armour’s fitness apps including Under Armour Record, MyFitnessPal®, MapMyRun® and Endomondo² for activity, nutrition, sleep and fitness tracking functions – these apps provide users with a holistic picture of their health and fitness. Spotify’s Offline mode lets you listen to your favorite music online, offline or even without your smartphone so you can enjoy your favorite tunes regardless of location.
• Auto Activity Detection: Automatic activity detection built into the devices are in tune with your body and can recognize the following categories of activities: Walking, Running, Cycling and performing Dynamic Activities that could include dancing to basketball.
• Personalized Motivation: You can customize your own wellness plan with tailored goals and alerts.

Gear Sport: A New Versatile Smartwatch to Support an Active and Balanced Lifestyle 

Gear Sport is stylish, yet practical with a minimalistic, circular bezel, Super AMOLED 1.2-inch display and improved user interface that makes it easy to view information, even when on-the-go. With Gear Sport, users can work to achieve health and wellness goals, and receive nutrition management alerts and activity recommendations even when they are offline.

Designed with military-level durability, it can handle a wide-range of environments.³  With its sleek, ergonomic form that can be worn in a variety of colorful and easily changeable standard 20mm straps, it is perfect for any occasion so you can effortlessly transition from the gym to a night out with friends. Gear Sport will be available in Blue and Black and also includes Gear foundational functions:

• Control of Samsung IoT-enabled devices through Samsung Connect
• Act as a remote control, whether for a PowerPoint presentation or Samsung Gear VR headset
• Pay for goods with a flick of the wrist via Samsung Pay (NFC Only)⁴

Gear Fit2 Pro: An Advanced GPS Fitness Band

In addition to the new swim and heart rate monitoring capabilities, the new Gear Fit2 Pro features advanced built-in GPS tracking to capture your run or ride with accurate activity tracking. Gear Fit2 Pro’s Super AMOLED curved 1.5-inch display and a high-resolution color touchscreen make real-time updates and notifications easier to read. The all-new secure, ergonomic band is light weight and comfortable to use for all activities. Available in Black and Red, its versatile design also makes it a stylish accessory.

Gear IconX: Comfortable Fit, Cord-Free Earbuds

IconX cord-free earbuds let you effortlessly listen to your favorite music – making your daily commute more enjoyable and helping you get more from your workout. Music can be enjoyed on and offline by transferring songs from a Samsung smartphone⁵ or PC, or accessing your favorite tunes through Bluetooth connectivity. The earbuds are also your newest connection to Bixby.⁶ With a simple tap and hold of the earbud you can use your voice to control your music or your phone – without even having it in your hand.

The updated design comes in Black, Gray and Pink and is even more ergonomic and lightweight so they are effectively secure, comfortable and stylish to use. For the fitness enthusiast, the Gear IconX automatically tracks your running routines, and also features the standalone Running Coach function which can be activated by simply tapping the earbud to provide in-ear audio⁷ exercise status updates – in real-time and without your phone. With a fast-charging and improved battery life of up to five hours of music streaming or seven hours of standalone music playback, and up to 4GB of internal storage, you can enjoy a seamless and fully standalone music listening experience.

Get a first look at Samsung’s new Gear wearables in the official trailer available below.

For more product information, please visit news.samsung.com/galaxy or www.samsungmobilepress.com.

Samsung Gear Sport Specifications

Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro Specifications

Samsung Gear IconX 2018 Specifications 

¹Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro have ISO 22810:2010 certification for 5 ATM rating of 50 meters (165 feet) under specific conditions. This means that both devices are safe to wear while walking in the rain or showering, and may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. However, the Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro should not be used for scuba diving, waterskiing, or other activities involving high-velocity water or submersion below shallow depth.

²Under Armour’s MapMyRun, Endomondo and Under Armour Record for Gear devices are not supported in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Under Armour’s MyFitness Pal for Gear devices is not supported in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

³ Gear Sport and Gear Fit2 Pro are MIL-STD-810G certified.

⁴NFC support only. Service availability may vary by country.

⁵The Gear IconX is compatible with devices running Android 4.4 and above.

⁶Limited to Samsung devices with Bixby voice capabilities including Galaxy Note8, Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+

⁷The Gear IconX voice guide supports nine languages including U.S. English, Chinese Mandarin, Spanish, German, French, Korean, Italian, Russian and Japanese.

The Gear Fit2’s update makes tracking fitness progress more intuitive and effective. Once a user completes an exercise with their Gear Fit2, for instance, listed among their post-workout stats will be a color-coded graph displaying time spent in various heart-rate zones. Broken down by level of exertion – ‘Moderate’, ‘Vigorous’ and ‘Maximum’ – the chart takes the user’s maximum heart rate into account to provide a simple rundown of the exercise’s efficiency.

Automatic activity detection has also been enhanced. Whenever a user exercises for more than ten minutes, the Gear Fit2 automatically activates its fitness-tracking functions. With the new update, the map displayed after a user completes an auto-tracked workout will also inform them of their approximate location.

To help users get in the zone during runs, the update also incorporates support for customizable pace targets. Simply input your desired distance and time via the Samsung Health smartphone app to build a workout tailored help you reach your running goals. Users may choose between runs designed to help burn fat or increase cardiovascular endurance, and select an intensity level that works for them. After establishing a target, the device will guide users through each stage of their exercise.

The update also lets users customize the information that’s displayed during workouts. The device offers a clear view of an array of useful workout data, including distance traveled, calories burned, the duration of an exercise, and the user’s heart rate. To adjust the data that’s prominently displayed, simply swipe across the Gear Fit2’s screen. A simple tap on the bottom of the screen will be displayed there additionally.

For users who need a little nudge now and then to get on their feet, 50 minutes of inactivity will prompt the Gear Fit2’s enhanced inactive alerts screen, which provides walkthroughs of simple stretches that can help you get back on track.

Of course, getting the most out of a workout requires getting a good night’s rest afterward, which is why the comprehensive Sleep Record notification offers users deeper insight into their personal sleep patterns.

Included with the evening’s sleep total is a simple multicolored graph that breaks down ‘Restless’, ‘Light’ and ‘Motionless’ sleep and informs you of how much time you spent in each zone. Users have the option to view their sleep data directly on their device, or via the Samsung Health app on their smartphone.

Other notable additions include the ability to send quick SOS alerts with your location by triple pressing the Gear Fit2’s Home key, and browse and download watch faces directly to the device, as well as via the Samsung Gear app.

You can download the Gear Fit2’s latest software update via Samsung Gear app.