Mobile operator Orange has teamed up with International digital security firm Gemalto to launch the 3G variant of the Gear S2 Classic in France. The smartwatch is available to purchase for €349.99 outright, but a programmable eSIM is required to take advantage of its cellular capabilities, which enable users to place/accept calls, send/receive messages and respond to notifications when the device isn't paired to a smartphone.
Orange is second carrier operating in Europe to introduce compatibility for the revolutionary GSMA-compliant eSIM, with the first being O2 over in the UK. It's currently unclear if it will be charging customers any additional usage fees to switch over to the SIM, but we suspect there will be a small monthly charge in place that can be halted at any time — so they're not locked into a contract and are free to cancel immediately should they stop using the watch.
