Samsung’s Unpacked event this year started off with a bang. The Korean giant had many exciting announcements to make. But there was one that was overshadowed by the rest. The development in question here is the newly upgraded Gear VR headset that Samsung unveiled today.
Unlike most devices, Samsung’s Gear VR is not getting a version 2.0. Instead, the company announced that the hardware released last year will now be replaced by a new, revamped one. And yeah, the upgrades are significant. All this at the same lovely price point of $99. The headset will start shipping on August 19th along with the new Note.
The most prominent change you will observe as soon as you see the new Gear VR is the hugely upgraded aesthetics. The older version of the virtual reality headset was Stormtrooper black and white, while the newer version comes in a darker blue-black shade. Design-wise, the new Gear VR could give many of the more handsome headsets in the market a run for their money.
We get new thicker, more comfortable padding. Much longer headstraps for a higher comfort level, and eye pieces that Samsung says will do a better job blocking out the light.
Heading away from the aesthetics, the new VR headset from the tech giant has also got greatly improved optics. The field of view is now a strong 101 degrees from the 96 degree in last year’s model. These optics, not surprisingly, are designed by the Facebook-owned VR giant Oculus itself.
The new Gear VR also sports a USB-C port on-board to support the latest smartphones in the market. The company added that the connection to the phone is modular. The touchpad has also seen a revamp, making it easier to access and use. We also get a dedicated button that will take you straight to Oculus’s store.
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