South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. said Thursday its latest round smartwatch will hit local shelves Friday in its effort to shore up its presence in the global wearable market.

First showcased in Berlin in early September, the Samsung Gear S2 is the latest wearable by the world's top smartphone maker, which is striving to bolster its global presence in the smartwatch segment, where the tech firm is lagging far behind archrival Apple Inc.

The Gear S2 comes in a circular body that distinguishes itself from its predecessor, the Samsung Gear S, which was rectangular.

Its bezel, which refers to the rim, rotates to both the left and right, allowing the user to navigate the operating system and mobile content.

The Gear S2 has drawn keen initial market interest, as a limited 1,000 domestic preorders on Sept. 18 sold out in an hour.

Samsung added that it is planning to release four new straps exclusively made for the Gear S2 this month, which were designed by Italian architect Alessandro Mendini.

They will come in black, dark down, navy and blue black, it said.

It has also added two more colors -- red and warm grey -- to the existing Gear S2 strap lineup, while it plans to introduce leather straps for the premium retro-style Gear S2 Classic in brown and gray.

The factory price for the Gear S2 is 333,300 won ($282), with that of the Gear S2 Classic set at 374,000 won, Samsung said. (Yonhap)