Samsung's Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ may have launched with much fanfare, but while the company teased the next-gen Gear S2 smartwatch, fans who were hankering for a new Gear VR to accompany the latest handsets were left high and dry.
However, Gear VR buffs need not fret as Samsung's co-CEO JK Shin has spilled the beans on the next-gen virtual reality headset's arrival.
Shin has revealed to publication CNET that the next iteration of the Gear VR will make its way to consumers "soon." He, however, did not divulge the exact launch date or time window, merely averring that it was "a surprise."
Traditionally, Samsung unveils its new Gear VR headset along with the new smartphones. However, this time around, at its Unpacked event held in New York City on Thursday, Aug. 13, the South Korean company only announced the much awaited Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ smartphones.
For the unfamiliar, the Gear VR made its debut in 2014 alongside the Galaxy Note 4 phablet. The Gear VR headset, as the company touts, is meant to "bring imagination to reality." The Gear VR was made in partnership with Facebook-owned Oculus.
The virtual reality accessory basically converts a 2D screen into 3D so that one has an enhanced and more realistic experience when one navigates through the virtual world. The Gear VR headset heightens the viewing experience, be it a movie or game.
The second-gen Gear VR was launched in March, along with the flagship Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge smartphones. This headset too was tailor-made for these two smartphones alone. However, the timing of the headset's launch raised consumer expectations that a third-gen Gear VR was in the offing when the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ launched.
The downside of the Gear VR headsets is that they only work with particular Samsung smartphones. Consumers may be hoping that the third-gen Gear VR headset changes the situation and becomes compatible not only with the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ smartphones but also multiple Samsung devices.
It is speculated that Samsung could possibly show off the latest Gear VR headset at the impending IFA 2015 in Berlin where the company is poised to launch the Gear S2 smartwatch. By Sept. 3, we will know what surprises, if any, Samsung has up its sleeve.
It is anticipated that the third-gen Gear VR will be priced in the same bracket as the older versions, around $199.99, at launch.
