Report: Samsung’s Working On Its Own Oculus Rift Rival

Report: Samsung’s Working On Its Own Oculus Rift Rival

Got pockets big enough for a Samsung phablet? You might want to stitch an extension into them: Samsung is said to be working on its own virtual reality headset to be paired up with its mobile devices, according to Engadget.

Whereas the Oculus Rift focusses on PC gaming, and Sony’s Project Morpheus will do the same for the PS4, Samsung’s headset will rely on Android-powered games. When it becomes available to consumers it will require next-generation Samsung Galaxy smartphones or tablets to work with (though the current development models are said to be working with Samsung’s existing flagship devices).

Samsung’s headset will make use of OLED screen technology, and will require a wired connection to a mobile device in order to avoid lag. It’s not yet clear whether Samsung’s VR entrant will offer depth tracking though, and is not to be confused with Samsung’s rumoured Google Glass rival, which is a separate project entirely.

The aim is to beat both the Oculus Rift and Sony’s headsets to market, and at a price that undercuts those two as well. Samsung’s got the money and the manufacturing facilities to achieve that goal, but what about the games? Virtual reality versions of games require significant development — a simple port of existing titles wont do. It’s tough enough to get mobile game developers to support a Bluetooth gamepad, let alone a VR headset. To me, that’s the largest hurdle Samsung faces, should the report prove true. [Engadget]


Report: Samsung’s Working On Its Own Oculus Rift Rival
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