While the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2, along with its companion Galaxy Gear 2 Neo, was launched at the World Mobile Congress (WMC) 2014, it took a while before the gadgets reached store shelves. However, as of now, it is available for $295 in 125 countries.

A recent statement issued by the South Korean tech titan Samsung, "The Galaxy Gear 2 and Galaxy Gear 2 Neo are essential companion devices, allowing you to accept or ignore incoming calls and messages, and providing notification options based on your activity and habits. Both act as an extension of your daily life, giving you more control with a range of standalone features."

"For example, you can control the other electronic products in your home, such as your TV and set-top box, through a WatchON Remote application with an embedded IrLED sensor. Plus, the addition of a standalone music player with Bluetooth headset means that even if you leave your smartphone at home, you can still enjoy your music when you are out and about," the statement further explained.

According to T3.com, the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 is actually a cross between the plastic feel of the Sony Smartwatch 2 and the metal appearance of the Pebble Steel.

CNET reports that the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 is available in silver and black delivering an enhanced design, improved notification, and a novel heart rate monitor. The wearable gadget also has basic fitness tracking, which presents several additional facilities. In addition, the device is water-resistant and has various interchangeable straps.

As mentioned in Samsung's statement, the Gear 2 is a companion gadget for as many as 17 other Samsung devices, including Samsung Galaxy S5, Galaxy Grand 2, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note 3 Neo, Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition), Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S4 mini, Galaxy S4 Zoom, Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy Mega 5.8, Galaxy Mega 6.3, Galaxy NotePRO (12.2) and Galaxy TabPRO.

There are a number of major changes on the Gear 2, including the hardware. The camera of the device has taken off the watch's strap, making the strap interchangeable. According to PC Pro U.K., the reduction off the size of the gadget also denotes that its battery is smaller compared to the earlier version. However, Samsung has asserted that battery life of the latest device has been improved three-fold - mainly attributed to the efficiency that the Tizen OS brings to the table.

If PC Advisor is to be believed, the latest Samsung wearable model is stylish, but has limited appeal. For some, Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 is bulky and despite having plenty of advanced features, purchasing or owning one still seems to be unnecessary.