The Oculus Rift is changing the gaming arena, and it hasn’t even been launched as a retail product. Why do we say that? Just look at Sony’s Project Morpheus and now Samsung’s Gear VR as examples: two solutions that have emerged in the wake of Oculus VR’s growing popularity. Even Microsoft is rumored to be working on a VR headset.
Although Samsung has not confirmed the rumor, Sam Mobile reports that the company just filed an application with the US Patent and Technology Office to trademark "Gear VR" on June 12: the application was published on June 16. Reports of Samsung’s desire for VR headwear actually first appeared in May, as unnamed sources said that the VR headset was under development in Samsung’s mobile division.
According to Engadget, several developers have already received early versions of the headset, which are compatible with Samsung’s flagship Galaxy devices, such as the Note 3. However the consumer model will require next-generation hardware in smartphones and tablets that haven’t even been announced.
Gear VR will have OLED screens that are equal or slightly better than the Oculus Rift. This headset will also require a wired connection so that the immersion isn’t broken by wireless-related lag (which makes people sick). As for pricing, Samsung is looking to undercut both Sony and Oculus VR.
In related news, Business Insider reports that Samsung is developing a headset that could be Gear Glass. This headset won’t have a jack that connects to the mobile device. Instead, the Samsung phone will be placed directly into a slot within the headset itself. The phone’s camera would then be used to create augmented reality information displayed in your field of view.
Sources believe that Samsung will reveal Gear Glass sometime this year while Gear VR may not arrive on the market until next year. Consumers can now purchase Google’s Explorer edition of Glass, so we’re betting Samsung is pushing to get its solution out on the market as soon as possible. We expect to hear more about Gear Glass in the next several months.
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