At the launch of the Galaxy Note 7 in the US, Samsung Mobiles USA also announced new accessories (five of them) to go along with the huge phablet. More of a car accessory – the Samsung Connect Auto joins the Samsung Gear VR (2016), Gear 360, Gear IconX and the Level Active Earbuds.
The Samsung Connect Auto (SM-V2010ABAATT) is more of a car accessory than a smartphone accessory. It plugs into the car’s on-board diagnostics (OBD) 2 port (located underneath the steering wheel) to provide diagnostics and syncs with the connected smartphone to convey the information.
The highlight is that it turns vehicles (those made in 1996 and newer) into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, providing 4G LTE services courtesy of AT&T and passenger can connect to up to 10 devices, including phones, tablets and laptops.
The less flashy feature is that it monitors the movement, health and monitors the behaviour of the driver. The Tizen-powered dongle connects to smartphones via the Connect Auto app (available as a free download on Google Play & The App Store), which is compatible with most Android and iOS devices.
To protect personal info and data at all times, the Samsung KNOX provides defense-grade security. Available via AT&T (for now), the Samsung Connect Auto costs $109.99 without any annual commitment or $0 with a two-year down payment.
