Samsung announces 800K Galaxy Gear smartwatches shipped since launch [u]

Samsung on Tuesday said its Gear smartwatch has shipped 800,000 units since launching in September, putting a damper on rumors that claimed the Korean tech giant managed to sell only 50,000 pieces over the two-month span.

Editor's Note: Samsung has revised its statement to note 800,000 Galaxy Gear units have shipped, not necessarily sold. This is more in line with the company's other announced metrics, which do not disclose sales, but instead shipments.

According to a report from Reuters, Samsung is now touting the Galaxy Gear as the world's most popular smartwatch after hitting the 800,000 units shipped mark in November.

"It's the most sold wearable watch available in the market place...and we plan to expand its availability by expanding mobile devices that work with the Gear," Samsung said.

The number has supposedly exceeded even Samsung's expectations, leading the company to extend sales promotions during the lucrative holiday season.

Although critics and early reviewers panned the device for lacking features and being cumbersome to use, it appears Samsung's aggressive marketing paid off. At $300, the Gear is an expensive accessory, especially for a wearable device designed to operate in tandem with a smartphone or "phablet."

Some reviews found the Gear to be light on battery life, while others were disappointed by the lack of out-of-the-box support for Samsung's own smartphones. At launch, the Gear was only compatible with Samsung's Galaxy Note 3, though later updates added support for smartphones like the Galaxy S3, S4 and Note 2.

It was reported on Monday that Samsung only sold 50,000 Galaxy Gears since the device debuted, which came out to roughly 800 and 900 units per day.