[Update] Samsung Gear VR now available for $200 at Samsung.com and AT&T
[UPDATE]: It looks like you can consider today to be the launch date for the Samsung Gear VR. The original article below told of a listing in AT&T’s online store, but Samsung’s own shop is allowing you to order one right now for immediate shipping. AT&T’s web listing has also been updated with a button that now allows you to order one.
Samsung has always listed December 2014 as the landing date for their virtual reality wearable Samsung Gear VR, and unless my calendar is bugged that window has arrived. While Samsung has yet to formally announce a solid date, AT&T seems to be preparing for it as the company has listed the device on their web store. Don’t jump to buy one as the listing shows it as out of stock as of the time of this writing, though there’s a chance that could change later today or at some point this week.
The listing shows the headset going for $200, but what do you get for all that dough? A virtual reality enclosure that cradles your Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to enable an immersive 360-degree view of unique content. Yes, that means you must have your own Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to use with the headset, so folks without that added bit of expensive equipment needn’t apply. Here are all the specs you’d care about when it comes to a virtual reality headset:
- Optical Lens: 96˚ Field of View
- Sensor: Accelerator, Gyrometer, Geomagnetic, Proximity
- Motion to Photon Latency: < 20ms
- Focal Adjustment: Covers Nearsighted / Farsighted Eyes
- Interpupillary Distance Coverage: 55 ~ 71 mm
- Physical User Interface: Touch Pad, Back Button, Volume Key
- Connection: microUSB connection to the Galaxy Note 4
- Dimension (Headset): 198(W) x 116(L) x 90(H)mm
You’ll also be getting a 16GB microSD card for your Galaxy Note 4 that comes pre-loaded with 360-degree movie trailers and other videos. Here was Samsung’s initial list of content that’d be available to take advantage of the Gear VR’s unique capabilities:
- Step inside Tony Starks’ Lab inside the Avengers’ Tower experience
- IMAX samples of Hollywood films and documentaries
- DreamWorks VR Characters
- Pacific Rim Jaeger Pilot
- Cirque Du Soleil’s Zarkana filmed in 360-degree fashion for Samsung Gear VR
- Music videos from Vevo that can be viewed within the virtual movie theater
- Protocol Zero game from DENA makes you kick*** infiltrator with Sam Fisher-like thermal and night vision goggles
While that list isn’t terribly long for a $200 headset, Samsung’s working with Oculus Rift and developers to craft many new experiences using a mobile SDK so it shouldn’t be too long before that list is expanded. We’ll be reaching out to AT&T and Samsung to see if they have anything to share about the device’s release date and we’ll be sure to update you folks with anything we hear.
[Thanks Mitch!]