Stefan Mileschin

Samsung Electronics showed off a new smartwatch and fitness band along with the latest version of its Galaxy smartphone once again putting its rival Apple's efforts into the shade.

Jobs' Mob traditionally invents something that someone else has in a sexy new shape and claims that it was its idea all along. However this particular technique is set to backfire with the smartwatch, which is said to be Apple's next effort. Apple took so long to get its innovation to market, that it is now a long way behind.

Samsung set a trend less than six months ago for wearable devices that link to mobile handsets with its Galaxy Gear watch, which has seen rivals like Sony and Huawei follow in its wake.

At a relatively low-key launch event in Barcelona, Samsung also unveiled the Gear 2 smartwatch, which runs on the Tizen operating system rather than Google's Android software, and a stripped-down version called Gear 2 Neo, which doesn't have a camera.

The devices can monitor the wearer's heart rate, a function used in increasingly popular health and fitness apps, or individual programs.

The Samsung Gear Fit, also targeting the fitness sector, has a heart rate monitor, too, as does the Samsung Galaxy S5 itself, a first for a smartphone, Samsung said.

The Gear Fit has a curved touch-sensitive screen and its features include a pedometer, Samsung said.

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