2014 Tech Gadget Predictions
Visitors try out a Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Gear smartwatch at its exhibition hall at a railway station in Seoul November 25, 2013. Samsung Electronics Co is expected to spend around $14 billion - more than Iceland's GDP - on advertising and marketing this year, but it doesn't always get value for money. The outlay buys the South Korean technology giant publicity in TV and cinema ads, on billboards, and at sports and arts events from the Sydney Opera House to New York's Radio City Music Hall. Google Inc spent less on buying Motorola's handset business. Picture taken on November 25, 2013. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji REUTERS

Samsung is working on a smartwatch that combines the ability to make 'phone calls,' along with capturing images, and sending emails. It is worth noting that, in order to make or receive phone calls, the upcoming 'stand-alone' smartwatch need not be connected to a smartphone, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The publication also compared this 'watch-phone' to a James Bond-like device. The company is in talks with the U.S., Korean and European network carriers pertaining to the new "watch-phone." The watch-phone is expected to be launched in the month of June or July.

The upcoming smartwatch is expected to run on Samsung's Tizen operating system. In addition to the ability to make phone calls, the smartwatch can capture photos, supports GPS and Bluetooth, handle emails and it will also house a heart rate monitor, according to the same report.

Samsung has already forayed into Tizen OS. The company launched its Tizen-powered Gear 2 smart watch ditching the Android operating system. This Gear 2 smartwatch also houses a camera, just liked the proposed watch-phone device. Additionally, the company also unveiled a wrist-band named Gear Fit early this year. It is a fitness-band with a curved 1.84 inches Super AMOLED display.

Nevertheless, the smartwatch from Samsung's Galaxy Gear series should be linked to a smartphone in order to send or receive messages. But the messages can be sent and received only with compatible Samsung smartphone/devices.

Therefore, the embedded SIM concept in the upcoming device could help make the wearable device truly stand-alone, thus, getting rid of the dependence on smartphones.

If rumors were true, this stand-alone watch-phone could very well be the 'Gear Solo' device from Samsung.

However, there is no confirmation from Samsung on this new device at this point in time. Tech titans like Google, Apple and Samsung are already working on various wearable devices that can be expected to hit the markets sometime this year.

What do you think about the 'watch-phone' concept? Feel free to leave a comment.