14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung has confirmed that it's entering the virtual reality market with the Gear VR device, which features hardware made by the company, such as a headset that uses the Galaxy Note 4 as a screen, but also software made by Oculus, the company behind the highly popular Rift project.
The virtual reality revolution kicked off a few years ago when the Oculus Rift project took the world by storm and managed to secure a huge amount of money via crowdfunding website Kickstarter. Since then, other companies have revealed their own devices, such as Sony with its Project Morpheus, while Oculus was purchased by Facebook, cementing the potential of the VR phenomenon.
Now, Samsung wants to get in on the action, as the large electronic giant has just revealed the Samsung Gear VR.
The unique device innovates in terms of the actual structure. The Gear VR is more or less the headset, as the actual key component is the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 smartphone/tablet hybrid.
The Note 4 can be secured into the Gear VR, which in turn can be strapped onto the head of a user to deliver a completely wireless virtual reality experience.
The Note 4 boasts a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED screen with a Quad HD resolution measuring 2560x1440. This can ensure a quality virtual reality experience, according to Engadget, with a good field-of-view.
The unique hybrid of phone and VR headset also features a few clever tricks, such as activating the camera on the Note 4, providing an augmented reality experience by filming what's in front of the user and delivering it onto the screen. This should certainly help those who are annoyed by having to take off the headset or who want to still be aware of what's happening around them.
While the actual hardware is made by Samsung itself, the software is offered by Oculus, as apparently the Facebook-owned company has secured a partnership to design the interface of the Gear VR, not to mention a marketplace from which owners can download virtual reality experiences, from videos to interactive experiments and even games.
So far, the actual content is lacking, but it seems that things will be quickly revealed in the near future, as Samsung is targeting a 2014 launch for the Samsung Gear VR.
You can expect to hear more about the Gear VR's gaming applications as well as how Oculus is helping out Samsung with software for the device in the near future.