Oculus puts the safety of its users first, and that is why the company turned off the Gear VR support for the possibly inflammable Samsung' Galaxy Note 7.
Multiple users on discussion platform Reddit are confirming that the Gear VR app is no longer working on the latest Samsung flagship.
Android Central has also reported on the forced update that eliminates the support for Gear VR for Samsung's hazardous Galaxy Note 7.
Looking at the official webpage of Oculus, users will find that the company placed the Gear VR compatibility with the Note 7 on hold "until further notice."
Samsung was under heavy fire in the recent months, as the battery of the Note 7 proves it has a penchant for bursting into flames. The company issued the largest smartphone recall in history, where 2.5 million units qualified for a replacement. Experts in mobile tech estimate that Samsung could suffer losses north of $1 billion in the wake of the meltdown.
What makes things worse is that the fire hazard manifested in replacement units as well. This raises serious questions about the future of the Note 7 as a viable product, regardless if we are referring to original units or exchanged ones.
It is easy to understand why having such a device locked in a VR device a few inches from your face would be problematic.
Gear VR is the fruit of Samsung and Oculus' partnership, which aims to deliver virtual reality experiences of the utmost quality. As the Gear VR app is in Oculus' garden, it was up to the VR manufacturer and developer to turn off the Note 7 compatibility.
Users who attempt to pair a Gear VR headset with a Galaxy Note 7 will get a message underlining how important customer safety is to Oculus.
The message states that the VR company is stripping away support "for all Note 7 devices on the Oculus platform."
For an unknown period of time, Note 7 will not play nice with the Gear VR. The message ends by saying that users are encouraged to contact Samsung for additional Note 7 information.
After the Note 7 started showing its true flamboyant colors, Oculus has warned its users not to pair the handset with its Gear VR until the smartphone has been replaced with a safe device. Ending the support for the app shows that Oculus does not expect the debacle to end soon, and it is not taking any chances.
