Sunday, February 21, 2016

Samsung introduces the Gear 360 for making your own VR content

Virtual reality is really cool. From Google Cardboard to Gear VR, smartphones and VR headsets are completely changing the way we consume media. Game developers and content producers have been providing more than enough VR content to keep early adopters happy, but as VR makes the shift to mainstream, the next wave of content is right on the horizon: homemade 360 degree video. With many Gear VR headsets sold and many more to come, Samsung is leading the homemade VR content charge with the introduction of the Gear 360 at MWC 2016.

Featuring two 15-megapixel sensors with F2.0 fisheye “Bright Lenses,” the Gear 360 is about the size of a baseball and looks like something out of Portal. The lenses are wide enough so that they overlap for better seamless content, and the entire unit is IP53 certified dust and water resistant.

Samsung is touting the recording experience of the Gear 360, saying it will connect with different Samsung model phones that will work as a live viewer for the Gear 360. Right now the list of devices compatible with the Gear 360 include the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy S6+, Note 5, Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy S6, but that will change over time. No pricing information on the Gear 360 has been made available, but it will launch by Q2 2016.