Samsung Gear VR For Samsung Galaxy S8 Introduced At Mobile World Conference
Samsung has introduced its latest Gear VR mobile virtual reality headset. Whereas past Gear VR updates were minimal, the latest Gear VR is something different. Droid Life has the news.
“Alongside the Galaxy Tab S3, Samsung also unwrapped a new Gear VR at MWC that should excite VR fans. The new Gear VR is officially called Gear VR with Controller, because well, it comes with a controller.”
As the article points out, the new Gear VR with Controller features 42mm lenses that have an increased 101-degree field of view — this will certainly help the Gear VR experience feel more immersive. Engadget describes the new motion controller that comes with Samsung’s latest VR device.
“The basic controls on the Gear VR aren’t all that different from Daydream VR: a trigger button on the rear, a circular clickable touchpad, along with volume, back and home buttons. There’s a groove in the controller body that makes it feel comfortable to grip.”
Engadget adds that the controller offers a far more comfortable way to interact with VR content. There are 70 projects that are being produced for the new controller. The new Gear VR will likely be available at the end of April when the Samsung Galaxy S8 is released. Commenters after the article are impressed.
A first look at Gear VR's motion controller https://t.co/nht6W21gEk pic.twitter.com/JgohWGJwbN
— Engadget Gaming (@engadgetgaming) February 27, 2017
“This controller looks really well designed. The Apple TV remote could take some cues from this, especially because the home/back buttons and volume buttons all look like they could be taken advantage of in games to do other sorts of tasks and make sense,” says Daveinpublic.
“I’m pretty excited about this new controller. I’m currently using a generic controller and just having one is nice in comparison to touching the headset,” claims Mjay.
Samsung’s Gear VR has been the premiere mobile virtual reality headset ever since the developer’s edition was released in December of 2014. This version and the first consumer’s version received mixed reviews. Many people complained about the lenses fogging up easily, the unit getting really hot, the relatively low field of view, and the fact that there weren’t many immersive software titles available.
The most recent Gear VR fixed many of those issues. The latest headset, which was released last August, received great reviews. PC Magazine gave the 2016 Gear VR four stars.
“The new Samsung Gear VR is a functional, accessible, and affordable way to play with VR if you have a compatible Galaxy phone, and anyone with even a passing interest in VR should seriously consider giving it a shot.”
The review notes the improvements that Samsung has made, but also states that outside of the USB-C connector and support for Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7, the virtual reality headset really doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Digital Trends notes that the Gear VR looks similar to last year’s model on the outside, but that there are some minor improvements to make the virtual reality experience more immersive.
“It doesn’t pack much in the way of hardware surprises, but enough has changed within the new Gear VR that it’s difficult to mistake for last year’s model,” says critic Kyle Wiggers, who adds that the new Gear VR not only has a new USB-C connection, but also has a new dedicated menu button and is a little bit larger than the previous Gear VR.
The new Gear VR will have to compete with Google’s Daydream View headset, which works with the Google Pixel and Pixel XL. It’s a lighter headset made of cloth, and it also comes with a controller. According to Tech Radar, we will get a mobile version of the HTC Vive by the end of 2017. Have you tried the Gear VR or the Daydream View? Tell us about your experience in the comments section.
[Featured Image by Daryl Deino]
