New Samsung Gear VR Set To Release On April 21 For $129.99
Samsung is causing a commotion today with all of their new announcements. They have just revealed their new Gear 360 camera and now have announced that the new Gear VR is set to release on April 21st for $129.99. We’ve covered the specs in the past where the headset will come with a slate of new features. But we now have a timeline to base it off of.
| SAMSUNG GEAR VR WITH CONTROLLER |
CONTROLLER | ||
| Dimension / Weight |
207.8 x 122.5 x 98.6mm / 345g | Dimension / Weight |
108.1 x 48.1 x 38.2mm / 64.3g |
| Optical Lens | Φ42, FOV 101º x6.25 | Control & Function | Touchpad (Clickable), Trigger, Home Key, Back Key, Volume Key |
| Sensor | Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Proximity | Sensor | Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Magnetic |
| Compatibility | Galaxy S7, S7 edge, Note5, S6 edge+, S6, S6 edge | Battery | AAA Battery * 2ea (1000mAh, average 2 hours of daily use will last for 40 days) |
The new Gear VR headset will also come in addition with a controller that provides three degrees of freedom (DOF). If you already own a Gear VR headset you can purchase the controller separately for $39.
Oculus will also be rolling out a big update to their mobile platform for the Gear VR where load times will be reduced by three folds. This will get you into VR faster while being able to explore features that make it easy to find content and VR games. The update will also bring graphic clarity to mobile VR with twice the pixel resolution in Home. Oculus states that it’s like upgrading from “Standard Definition to High Definition.”
Also at time of release, Oculus will launch 20 new titles to support the new Gear VR controller with 50 additional experience to follow over the next few months.
“Existing library games not requiring gamepad can all be played comfortably with the built-in touchpad, but new titles designed specifically for the controller take things to another level. The additional trigger unlocks a number of new gestures in VR, like drawing constellations in the night sky, casting a fishing line with precision, and firing guns at your opponent in live, multiplayer standoffs.”
Also, Oculus Avatars will be available on Gear VR with the new update. Avatars were originally created for the Rift but will now be available on the mobile platform as well. You’ll be able to create one avatar across the Rift and Gear VR games and experiences.
Oculus will also be launching their browser today on the Gear VR. This is a fully native app that renders videos, images and text in Gear VR. The new browser will also allow you to search the web directly from Home.
“Using the keyboard, navigate to your favorite sites like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube just like you would on a desktop. The browser brings 2D and most 360 video content right into Oculus Home, with all the benefits of our newly built experience.”
You can pre-order the new Gear VR headset today for $129.99.