Samsung announced their “Gear VR” headset
Samsung and Oculus confirmed at IFA Berlin that they are working together to release the”Samsung Gear VR” headset. According to the developers, the Samsung Gear VR will be powered by a Galaxy Note 4, making use of its 5.7 inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display.
Samsung Gear VR doesn’t require a standalone computer or any wires for that matter, since it’s powered by the phone’s battery. The device includes a 60 fps pass-through camera, allowing its users to see their surroundings while wearing it. The new VR device connects to the Galaxy Note 4 through micro-USB. It comes pre-loaded with VR content from Avengers: Age of Ultron and Pacific Rim. Games such as Darknet and Protocol Zero are also confirmed to be arriving on the platform.
The Samsung Gear VR was built in partnership with Oculus, the creator of Oculus Rift, another VR headset. Rift was recently acquired by Facebook for $2 billion. Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook CEO stated that, through this purchase, they aim to help Oculus grow and build partnerships to support more games. However, Zuckerberg also plans to expand the VR technology for other day to day experiences. It remains to be seen how Samsung’s wireless VR headset will compete with Oculus and how both products will fare on the market. The major difference between them is that Gear VR from Samsung requires a Note 4 to work, while Rift is compatible with PC’s. At the same time, Sony is developing a VR headset for their Playstation 4 console. With each device aimed towards different consumers, only time will tell which one is better. The important thing is that more and more companies start heading in this direction and accepting VR devices as the future of gaming. So far, Samsung didn’t give any details as to how much the Gear VR will cost or when it will be released.