It’s turning into quite the day for Samsung and their fans all over the world, as the South Korean firm has officially unveiled the new Galaxy Note 7 as well as a new Gear VR headset to go along with it. While the Galaxy Note 7 – and devices back to the Galaxy S6 that are compatible with the new headset – is a great device for consuming virtual reality content, it’s not so good at creating it. At least not on its own, and that’s where the Gear 360 comes in. Announced all the way back in February during Mobile World Congress alongside the Galaxy S7 line, the Gear 360 is a 360-degree camera that’s capable of capturing, and then stitching together, virtual reality video. Now, it’s finally hitting the United States alongside the launch of the Galaxy Note 7.
The Gear 360 has been available in the US for some time now, but not officially as it had previously only been available in South Korea, New Zealand and Singapore. Come August 19th however, those with $349 and a compatible Samsung smartphone will be able to finally join the Gear 360 party. Those aforementioned compatible Samsung smartphones are, right now, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge and soon the Galaxy Note 7. This is, as we’ve seen with other Samsung devices before, a disappointment to other Android users, but considering that Samsung has developed such a compact and simple-to-use solution like this, it’s no wonder that Samsung wants to keep it to themselves.
It was also sold during Vid Con earlier this year, but it’ll be available for everyone when the device launches before the end of the month. Capable of shooting video at 3840 x 1920, the Gear VR is not a 4K powerhouse, but with its twin 15-megapixel sensors and f/2.0 Fisheye lenses, it’s got a lot of the right boxes ticked. It can be used in single-lens as well as dual-lens mode for both video and stills, and it’s IP68 dust and water-resistant as well, making it a nice GoPro alternative, as well as one that does 360-degree content right out of the box. All of this for just $349 isn’t too bad, but there will be some offers concerning the Gear 360 and the Galaxy Note 7 for those looking to grab a bargain.
