Alongside the anticipated Galaxy S8, Samsung has also showcased upgraded versions of the Gear VR and Gear 360.
Not to be content with just unveiling the biggest Android device of the year, Samsung also announced a revamped Gear 360 camera alongside a new Samsung Gear VR. The upgraded Gear VR was initially announced at Mobile World Congress, though today we got to see it in a bit more detail.
Pricing and availability is to be confirmed, however the Gear VR will sell for $129 in the United States. We can expect from the price of the current Gear 360 that this newer version will retail for around $349. The design has changed over the previous version in an attempt to make it easier for people to use. The elongated bottom now doubles up as a handle for additional grip, plus there’s various accessories in the box for placing it on a surface. We especially like the look of the rubber feet, as it makes the device look quite cute and quaint.
Inside, the Gear 360 is fully 4K video capable, with has dual 8.4 megapixel cameras of f/2.2 aperture lens size. It can record video or take still images that can be edited and customised through an app. Memory is expandable up to 256GB and features IP53 dust and water resistance. A 1,160mAh battery is onboard charged via USB Type-C. In first for the Samsung Gear 360, live streaming to Facebook and YouTube is now fully supported at resolutions up to 2K. Users can sync the camera to a smartphone or computer, to immediately uploaded content to platforms such as Facebook, YouTube or Samsung VR. Another big first is it’s ability to finally work with Apple devices, meaning iPhone users will now be able to get a taste of the 360 camera experience. It is compatible with Android devices running Android 5.0 and further, iOS 10 devices such as the iPhone 7 range can connect to the Gear 360.
The Samsung Gear VR is not exactly a new product, shipping in a new colourway “Orchid Grey” and not much else. It’s exactly the same design with exactly the same hardware. The only big difference is a controller, which reminds us a lot of the HTC Vive. We typically see them in more expensive VR implementations, so the inclusion here is quite impressive. It can be used much like a laser pointer to navigate the Oculus powered VR application, which now offers offer users 8,000 videos and 2,000 premium experiences from launch. Content providers include football YouTube channel Copa 90, radio station Rinse FM and video website Nowness.
