Samsung Gear S3 release date, specs news: New flagship wearable now available in Canada for $469

Promo image for the new Samsung Gear S3.Samsung 

Samsung continues its staggered release for its new flagship wearable as the new Gear S3 is now available in Canada.

In a press statement, Samsung Electronics has announced that both the Gear S3 Classic and Gear S3 Frontier are now available online via Samsung Experience stores as well as third-party retailers in the country. The post also lists the price tag for the new Samsung smartwatch, revealing the new Gear S3 will be available starting at $469.

Confirming the release of the new flagship in Canada, Paul Brannen, COO and executive vice president of Samsung Electronics Canada stated, "We are excited to continue to expand our wearable portfolio that together, with the Galaxy S7 family of devices, helps Canadians truly live connected."

Meanwhile, the announcement also confirmed that even if the new wearable flagship is already available in the region, its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S2, will still be available in the same stores. Fans can still purchase the previous-gen Gear S2 for $319, while its step-up version, the Gear S2 Classic, continues to sell at $369. The Rose Gold and Platinum additions are available at Samsung Experience Stores and retailers for $369.

The price hike for the new flagship is certainly understandable as the Samsung Gear S3 includes major improvements over its predecessor. Although the two lineups share similar design and form factor, Samsung has included LTE support for the Gear S3, one of its most significant upgrades. The new wearable also retains IP68 certification so the device is dust and dirt-resistant. In addition, the high certification rating also makes the smartwatch water-proof even if submerged up to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes under water.

The Canadian release of the new wearable is the latest in the staggered launch for the Samsung Gear S3. Aside from the new market, the flagship smartwatch lineup has also been released in the U.S., Europe, and some parts of Asia.