"$299, 24-hour battery, required a Samsung phone — returned by 30% of buyers."
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RAISED
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EMPLOYEES
12
MONTHS
marketfitSudden Collapse
Unexpected shutdown within weeks of a trigger
// Fatal mistake: Only worked with Samsung phones — artificially limited addressable market to Samsung Galaxy owners
Key Events Timeline
2013-01
FOUNDING
Samsung internally launches the Galaxy Gear project in January 2013, aiming to be first to market with a major-brand smartwatch.
2013-09
PRODUCT LAUNCH
Samsung unveils the Galaxy Gear at IFA Berlin on September 4, 2013, priced at $299 and compatible only with the Galaxy Note 3 at launch.
2013-10
PRODUCT LAUNCH
Galaxy Gear goes on sale globally in October 2013 with only 70 compatible apps available at launch, far below consumer expectations for a $299 device.
2013-11
PIVOT
Samsung expands Galaxy Gear compatibility to 9 additional Galaxy devices via firmware update in November 2013, an emergency move to address collapsing demand.
2014-01
REGULATORY ACTION
Industry analysts at IDC and Strategy Analytics report an estimated 30% return rate for the Galaxy Gear in Q4 2013, one of the highest ever recorded for a consumer electronics product.
2014-02
PIVOT
Samsung announces at MWC 2014 in February that the Galaxy Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo will run Tizen OS instead of Android, abandoning the original Gear's software platform entirely.
2014-04
DOWN ROUND
Samsung launches the Gear 2 and Gear Fit in April 2014, effectively replacing the original Galaxy Gear and rendering it discontinued after less than seven months on the market.
2014-06
SHUTDOWN
Samsung officially ceases production and sales of the original Galaxy Gear by June 2014, completing the full product discontinuation following its redesign into the Tizen-based Gear 2 line.
🔥 Hall of Flame 50%🏆 Hall of Fame 45%
Samsung launched Galaxy Gear in September 2013 as the first major smartwatch, priced at $299.
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