Samsung Galaxy Altius Smartwatch Screenshots: A Rumour

The background

That week, rumours said Apple was working on a watch of its own. Samsung makes devices in nearly every category, so talk soon turned to whether it would build a smartwatch too. One report suggested a smartwatch might appear alongside the Galaxy S IV and Galaxy S IV Mini at their launch the following month.

What the screenshots showed

The images were downloaded from a Korean message board discussing smartwatch technology. A network operator name sat in the top-left corner, which hinted that the watch would have some form of network connectivity. The images gave no way to tell whether the interface ran on Android or acted as a second screen for a Samsung phone.

Why people doubted them

• “Altius” was thought to be the codename of the Galaxy S IV phone, not a watch.
• The codename was fully visible on the screen, something Samsung had not done on earlier splash screens.
• The interface, with its mirroring effect, did not seem to follow Samsung’s own design guidelines or the look of its other products.

What to make of it

Whether these images were real is unknown from the original post. Treat them as an unverified leak. The outcome of the story is not covered here.