Samsung working on dedicated VR headset

By Park Sae-jin Posted : April 29, 2016, 14:38 Updated : April 29, 2016, 14:38

Samsung Gear VR and Entrim 4D [Courtesy of Samsung]



Samsung Electronics has revealed plans for a dedicated virtual reality (VR) headset during the company's developer conference on Thursday. The new headset, unlike its predecessor "Gear VR", will not need a smartphone as a display. It will feature its own display, head tracking technology and similar features to high-end VR headsets released early this year- "Oculus Rift" and "HTC Vive".

"We are working on wireless and dedicated VR devices, not necessarily working with our mobile phone,” Samsung head of R&D for software and services Rhee Injong said. But Rhee cautiously told the audiences at the conference that the "VR industry is still in its infancy" and the headset which Samsung is working on may not be released for next few years.

Samsung stepping up to develop a standalone VR headset could bring major changes to VR device industry. Oculus and HTC are the forerunners, but Samsung with its immense knowledge and unique technologies, it could just easily take the first place.

This year is truly a blooming stage for VR industry. Originated from a start-up, Facebook-owned Oculus Rift and HTC's Vive were released in the first quarter and Sony's PlayStation VR, an add-on plug-in headset and a processing unit for PlayStation 4 is to be released in the second half of 2016.

Meanwhile, upon the releases of headsets earlier this year, many experts predicted the high price ranging from 599 US dollars (Oculus Rift) to 799 dollars (HTC Vive) would be an obstacle for consumers to buy the product, since they would need at least 800 dollars worth of PC system to properly run the VR headsets.

But the consumers responded highly positive towards VR headsets' releases. The two companies' pre-orders were sold out, and its contents are being poured into the market.


Aju News Park Sae-Jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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