Samsung and Oculus release Gear VR Innovator Edition VR headset
Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition headset is the first virtual reality experience delivered by Samsung, thanks to their collaboration with Oculus. Gear VR will be the branding that is used for wearable virual reality devices and VR solutions that come out of Samsung’s stable. Starting early December, Gear VR Innovator Edition will be available in USA. Do note that unlike other VR headsets, this one is powered by a smartphone and is currently optimized for Galaxy Note 4. It will cost $199 for the headset alone, add $50 for bluetooth gamepad and of course, you need to pay for Samsung Note 4 too (say, $700 in USA for unlocked variant). Though this burns a hole in pocket, given the deep pockets of Samsung and Oculus’s innovation in this area, we should see support for other smartphones that are cheaper to buy in the future. To use Oculus, Note 4 users need to install Oculus Home, Oculus Store, Oculus Cinema and Oculus 360 Vidoes and Photos applications on the smartphone.
“Samsung is excited to launch our first virtual reality experience, Gear VR Innovator Edition. We are looking forward to working with developers and partners on building amazing, accessible Virtual Reality experiences, that help bring the immersion of VR mainstream over the coming months and years,” said Nick DiCarlo, Vice President and General Manager of Immersive Products and Virtual Reality. “Samsung is pleased to be joining the VR community and will continuously endeavor to bring the Next Big Thing in Virtual Reality.”
Oculus Mobile SDK for Gear VR is now available now to all developers. To make sure of SDK, you need to register at developer.oculus.com/. Here is a list of solutions provided by partnering with 3rd party entities:
- As part of the Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron partnership with Samsung, Gear VR users will gain exclusive access to Tony Stark’s Lab inside the all new Avengers Tower.
- Cirque du Soleil Media presents a 360° live-action 3D VR experience, featuring an act from Zarkana filmed by Felix & Paul Studios.
- DreamWorks VR from DreamWorks Animation allows Samsung Gear VR users to interact and laugh with DreamWorks characters and content in a whole new way like never before.
- Harmonix Music VR takes your music library and transports you to a fully immersive, musically responsive environment, allowing you to relax in a vibrant soundscape and explore visualizations set to your favorite tracks.
- M-GO Advanced, a new paradigm for digital video VR applications, offers an unmatched interactive search and discovery experience with Samsung Gear VR.
- Protocol Zero from DENA enables Samsung Gear VR players to infiltrate enemy grounds undetected in blackout conditions with hi-tech optics including night vision, X-ray vision, and thermal vision.
- Temple Run VR is the latest edition in Imangi’s Temple Run series, challenging Samsung Gear VR players to run as far as they can through a perilous winter wonderland as they escape the clutches of Arctic Demon Monkeys.
- Vevo offers more than 100,000 HD music videos, live concert events and original programming that can be enjoyed in an immersive, full-screen theater experience on Samsung Gear VR.
- WemoLab’s theBluVR allows users to immerse themselves in the dream-like majesty of marine life.
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