Samsung’s Gear VR has gone on sale in US with the company stating that the gadget is for early adopters and developers and not aimed for the mainstream consumers. The gadget is a result of collaborative efforts between Oculus and Samsung.
The gadget makes use of a Galaxy Note 4 for the visor’s brains. That is to say that the Quad HD display of Note (2,560 x 1,440) is split amongst the two lenses of the headset. Gear VR allows for a 96-degree field of view from any given angle, however, the user can rotate his head to enjoy the 360-degree environments. The experience is akin to the one that Oculus VR developer kit offers.
The problem with such gadgets is the fact that the company has to come up with content for the new medium and that is exactly why Samsung has stated that it is not a commercial product. This complication is also one of the reasons why Samsung has given the content-downloading rights to the Oculus VR app store. The name of the device is ‘Gear VR Innovator Edition’.
Samsung revealed at the launch that early adopters should have access to a dungeon adventure game called HeroBound, Anshar Wars and demos that include undersea exploration and even a Cirque du Soleil show. The gadget is available for a price tag of $200 and is compatible only with Galaxy Note 4.
