Virtual reality continues to be one of the big talking points of this year and is likely to remain a hot topic moving in to next year. This is largely thanks to the platform seeing a much greater level of adoption at the manufacturer level, with multiple manufacturers looking to introduce their offerings to the market. One of those who were quick to make their intentions known and debut their first VR offering was Samsung. This came in the form of the Samsung Gear VR. However, this one was a bit of an exclusive VR unit, as it was quite pricey and came with a very stripped down level of compatibility. In fact, it was only the Galaxy Note 4 which was initially compatible with the Gear VR.
That all changed however, when back towards the end of September, Samsung announced that they would be releasing a more consumer-friendly version of the Gear VR. That is, more consumer friendly in terms of price, as the newer model would come with a much lower $99 price tag. Not to mention, it had also seen some other design refinements which were designed to ensure the new Consumer Edition would be lighter and a more comfortable unit. At the time, few details were confirmed about when the Gear VR would become available, although Samsung had strongly stated that it would be available in time for the Holiday season, for all those who wanted to pick up a Gear VR as a Christmas present.
Today that time has come, as it now looks like the Gear VR is open for pre-orders. At the moment, it does only seem to be available to pre-order through Best Buy, although, it is likely that other retailers will begin offering the unit soon enough. As to be expected, the price is only $99 and although the compatibility has grown compared to the original Gear VR, the new model is still limited to the newer Samsung Devices. With the compatible devices listed as the Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and the Galaxy S6 Edge+. Those interested in finding out more or pre-ordering a $99 Gear VR, can do so by heading through the link below.