Back in September, Samsung showcased a prototype of its VR
headset accessory called the Gear
VR during at IFA in Berlin. This week, a more consumer-ready version of the
VR headset has showed itself at this year’s Samsung Developer Conference.
It’s called the Gear VR Innovator and it could be available
as early as next month. Samsung will offer the accessory in two packages: a base
package consisting of just the $199 headset or a $249 bundle with a Bluetooth
gamepad. The caveat is that this headset is only compatible with the Samsung
Galaxy Note 4 which makes the overall cost of the experience much higher.
Samsung has also introduced a new camera for the Gear VR called
Project Beyond. Basically, Project Beyond will be one of the devices that will
support Gear VR by capturing 360 degree environments.
Beyond features 16 full HD cameras that capture a 360-degree
panoramic view of its environment in 3D, collecting a huge amount of 3D data
per second. According to Samsung, the device is capable of high-speed connectivity,
adaptive stitching and ultra-wide-angle video and image capture.
Samsung isn’t disclosing everything about Project Beyond
yet. It appears the device is only meant as a prototype or a preview of what the
company is currently working on. Nevertheless, Project Beyond is quite
promising as it is currently the only input device we’ve seen for VR systems.
