Samsung's first Gear VR to debut this fall

Technological innovation is breaking all barriers and reaching new heights every day. In a bid to surpass each other, companies are investing heavily on research and development to offer consumers products that provide distinctive experience. Products are becoming bigger and better and consumers don’t mind shelling out extra dollars on them.

Setting its foot into the world of virtual reality, Samsung Electronics, in partnership with Oculus, announced its first consumer-focused Gear VR device today. With this the South Korean technology giant joins other companies in the race to become a leader in the “wearables” category.

“Samsung has been at the forefront of delivering mobile experiences and ‘Gear VR Innovator Edition’ launched last year was no exception,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics. “We see virtual reality as the next computing platform, and we are thrilled to partner with Oculus on Gear VR to set the standard for mobile VR and bring this revolutionary product to consumers.”

Priced at $99, the new Gear VR is compatible with Smartphones including the Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 edge+, S6 and S6 edge, “leveraging each device’s super AMOLED display to provide the color, clarity and performance needed for an amazing virtual reality experience”.

To offer consumer more comfort and crisper experience, the latest version of the device has some notable improvements over the previous Gear VR Innovator Edition. It is 22 percent lighter than the previous version and includes new foam cushioning. It has improved touchpad that provides greater control while enjoying the robust selection of film, gaming, 360 degree video and experiential content available for Gear VR.

“Together with Samsung, we've redefined virtual reality and created the best mobile VR experience available today,” said Brendan Iribe, CEO, Oculus. “On Gear VR, people are playing immersive VR games with friends, sharing 360 video experiences, and teleporting around the world with photos and videos – and it’s only the beginning for what’s possible with mobile VR.”