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Samsung announces $99 Gear VR, Netflix for Gear VR incoming
We’ve already seen two “Innovator Edition” releases of the Gear VR, but at Oculus Connect, Samsung finally unveiled the consumer version of the Gear VR!
Unlike the two previous models, the consumer edition Gear VR will work with Samsung’s entire 2015 flagship line. While Samsung doesn’t say for sure, it is also possible we could see support for some of their mid-range handsets as well, though that’s really just speculation at this stage.
The consumer-friendly version of the Gear VR is expected to land in November for just $99, half of the Innovator Edition’s price tag. Aside from being designed to work with multiple different phones, the new model is also said to be 22 percent lighter than the previous model, and has had several enhancements that improve its overall feel, as well as enhancements to its side-of-head touchpad and other components.
[related_videos title=”Previous versions of the Gear VR” align=”center” type=”custom” videos=”592175,522432″]
With cheaper hardware that is compatible with multiple Samsung devices, the Gear VR is certainly going to make it easier for VR fans to jump in without a huge investment. We can also expect Samsung to start really pushing hard on expanding its Gear VR optimized games and media ahead of its consumer launch. To that end, Samsung announced that Netflix and Twitch are heading to the Gear VR today, with Hulu, Vimeo, and TiVo slated to arrive “in the next few months”.
The consumer version of the Gear VR will also come with a special “Oculus Arcade’ app that opens up unique arcade experiences featuring classics like Sonic, Pac-Man, and others.
While the HTCVive and Oculus Rift are certainly the most high-tech VR experiences being pushed to the market, products like the Gear VR will have a greater chance at mainstream appeal due to less expensive price tags. What do you think of the new Gear VR? Excited or not?