14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung held a press event during MWC 2017 in Barcelona, where the company announced the new Galaxy Tab S3, released a teaser for the Galaxy S8, and introduced the new Galaxy Book. Besides that, Samsung also announced a new controller for the Gear VR.
Samsung enhanced the experience of Gear VR users with the introduction of the new controller, which features a circular pad and some physical buttons. The controller is a bit similar to HTC Vive’s gadget, rather than Oculus’ own Rift controller. It has a slim design, just like Google’s Daydream VR controller.
The new Samsung controller was designed for one-hand use and allows users to “select, grab, take aim, and fire,” making it quite useful in VR gaming experiences. The controller features an ergonomic, curved design and allows for better interaction in VR.
It features an accelerometer, gyrometer and magnetic sensor
Samsung’s controller offers various motion input for better VR experiences, as it makes it easier and faster for users to access and interact in VR apps. It has a trigger for gaming experiences and it lets users point, drag and drop, tilt, shoot, and perform other actions.
The controller has home, volume and back keys for easily browsing through VR apps and menus. It also offers a wrist strap for secure grip and play.
“The Gear VR with Controller expands our VR ecosystem to help consumers get more engaged and immersed in VR content – whether it’s games or videos,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics.
Oculus has stated that more than 70 titles will implement support for the new controller and the public SDK will be made available soon. The controller features an accelerometer, gyrometer and magnetic sensor, while it supports AAA batteries of 1,000mAh capacity. Samsung says that the batteries should last for 40 days with an average of 2 hours of daily use.
It’s unclear when Samsung will start selling the bundle of its Gear VR headset and the new controller, but the price should be higher than $99.99, the current cost of the Samsung VR headset developed with Oculus last year. The Gear VR is compatible with Galaxy S7, S7 edge, Note 5, S6, S6 edge and S6 edge+.