Virtual reality became an option for Samsung Galaxy Note 4 owners today with the launch of the Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition for users of the popular Android-based smartphone.
A price tag of $199.99 from AT&T and Samsung themselves gets you the Gear plus a number of sample VR experiences pre-loaded onto its 16 GB microSD card, with more available from Oculus’s store. Samsung is mum on whether or not the pre-loaded content is available through Oculus; consumers who bring their own microSD cards might need to do some swapping.
The Gear differs from vanilla Oculus Rift developer’s kits for a number of reasons, most of which have to do with its integration with the Galaxy Note 4. As the “screen” is a Note 4 tethered to the Gear headset, virtual-reality experiences will be available in unprecedented 1440p resolution, somewhat negating the pixel-y “screen-door” effect commonly reported with most contemporary VR equipment. The Note 4 is saddled by a diminished refresh rate, however, which could be bad news for those with motion sickness and investors worried about VR’s nausea problem.
Unlike the Oculus, the Gear is meant to be an on-the-go experience similar to Pinc; as such, it is not expected to be expressly gaming-oriented, since the Gear’s gyroscopes will only be able to check the angle of the wearer’s head. Consumers who can’t go without immersive, enjoyable gaming experiences can take advantage of a Bluetooth “controller” included as part of a $249 Gear bundle and a Google Glass-esque touchpad built into the side of the set.
Whatever consumers end up primarily utilizing the Gear for, it’s clear that Samsung’s latest project is out of the starting gate with a bang, with a number of bite-sized experiences ranging from 1-10 minutes coming along for the ride as virtual reality continues its march out of the domain of science fiction and into everyday life.
