Samsung's Gear VR virtual reality headset will be released to stores of retail giant Best Buy on March 27, which will mark the first time that a virtual reality headset will be made available to the public through physical locations.
The version of the Gear VR that will be up for sale is the Gear VR Innovator Edition, a model that is primarily designed for developers. However, the regular consumer will still be able to use this particular model to get a firsthand experience in all the hype that is currently surrounding virtual reality technology.
Earlier this year, Samsung and Best Buy put the Gear VR up for sale online, but only for a short time. The headset sold for $199.99, and was the first time that such a device entered the mainstream market. The Gear VR was first spotted in a handful of Best Buy stores in September of last year, but they were soon pulled off from the store shelves.
The Gear VR, which was developed utilizing software provided to Samsung by Facebook-owned Oculus Rift, requires users to also own a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to be able to operate the device. The Galaxy Note 4 functions as the screen and processor of the Gear VR.
While there are some users that have found a way to make the Gear VR work with the Note Edge, it is not recommended as Samsung does not officially support any other device aside from the Galaxy Note 4 to function with the Gear VR. A version of the Gear VR for the Galaxy S6 smartphone, however, is on the way to coincide with the upcoming release of Samsung's new flagship smartphone, marking the next hardware cycle for the Gear VR.
Best Buy will be releasing the Gear VR on over 100 of the company's outlets beginning March 27, with more stores to follow in selling the virtual reality headset over the course of the year. Many of the locations that will sell the Gear VR will put up demo stations for potential customers to try on the virtual reality headset before purchasing it.
Interested customers can gcontact the Best Buy stores within their area to find out whether the outlet will sell the Gear VR on March 27 or within the year. Customers can also head to the Best Buy website to search if their local Best Buy outlet is among those that will have the Gear VR for sale.
