Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch Launches; Vivino Wine App Preinstalled

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Oct. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The cutting-edge Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch is scheduled for availability to U.S. technophiles this week.  In a 'first' for smartwatches and the wine industry, the popular Vivino Wine Scanner app is preloaded on the device sold in nearly 150 countries.

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Vivino CEO Heini Zachariassen said placement on Galaxy Gear validates Vivino's concept and capabilities. With inclusion on the new smartwatch, Vivino's user base will most likely see growth along with the number of wines scanned, which further enhances the service's usefulness.

With the free Vivino app people simply snap a photo of a wine's label discreetly with a smartwatch or smartphone.  That image is then matched against a database already containing nearly 2 million wines. The app then provides ratings compiled from others using Vivino, as well as the wine's producer, brand, varietals and vintage.  And once someone has scanned and rated at least three wines, Vivino finds other users with similar taste and recommends their favorite wines.  Additionally, users looking to broaden wine horizons can utilize the new 'Featured Users' tool that connects people with wine connoisseurs also using the app.

Theis Sondergaard, Vivino's COO, said development for the Galaxy Gear smartwatch was fast tracked right after Vivino was contacted by Samsung.  Adapting Vivino's technology to the new device was tricky, but the challenge was completed in two months.

"We think Samsung saw sex appeal in being able to shoot bottle labels from your wrist and discretely reading about wines," Sondergaard said. "It's a show-off function, but also of great value for consumers."

As a #1 wine app with a rapidly growing user base consisting of more than 2 million people, Vivino is also available on iPhone, Android and BlackBerry (BB10) platforms.  For more information, visit http://www.vivino.com.

About Vivino:
Founded in 2009, Vivino helps wine lovers discover and rate wines tasted with ease. The free mobile app allows users to take photos of wine labels and using unique image recognition technology, matches the images against a database of nearly 2 million wines. Vivino connects wine lovers via a network of posted reviews and allows users to share their experiences via Facebook, Twitter and email. The app is available on iPhone, Android and BlackBerry (BB10).

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jim Llewellyn
Comunicano, Inc.
+1 323-810-7685, [email protected]

SOURCE Vivino