Samsung Gear Solo: Smartwatch With SIM Card Could Make And Receive Calls

The field of wearable technology continues to grow at a rapid pace, but the smartwatches on the market so far are all designed as companion devices to smartphones. Without a smartphone nearby, the smartwatches aren't capable of much, but Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (OTN: SSNLF) may be changing that in the near future.

According to a Monday report from the Korea Herald, Samsung requested a trademark for the name “Gear Solo,” a smartwatch that appears to be a variant of the Samsung Gear 2. The Gear Solo is equipped with a universal subscriber identity module (SIM) that would enable the device to make and receive calls without a smartphone connection.

The trademark application didn’t include much more information than that, though the Korea Herald also reported that Samsung is working with SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM) to develop the Gear Solo.

That market hasn’t shown much interest in smartwatches, but the increased functionality that would be made possible through an embedded SIM card could change that.