Rumor has it Samsung might, well, pull a Samsung.
Engadget has the leak. “We're told by sources close to Samsung that a virtual reality headset is not only in the works at the company's mobile division, but it's set to be announced this year.”
And like it did with the Galaxy Gear, Samsung reportedly plans to enter the market before its biggest competitors. (Via CBS)
In the case of the Galaxy Gear, it was about beating Apple’s still-theoretical iWatch. (Via Samsung)
But with a virtual reality headset, Samsung has the chance to compete with Oculus VR’s Rift and Sony’s newly-announced Project Morpheus.
The big question here is, do they stand a chance? The Verge reports, Oculus has been busy, readying itself with “unique experiences.”
“Samsung will have some serious catching up to do, but the company's massive infrastructure doesn't make that an impossible challenge.”
Of course, thanks to Facebook, which recently acquired Oculus for $2 billion, the Rift has some serious cash behind it as well.
Engadget’s report indicates early versions of Samsung’s headset are tied to Samsung Galaxy devices, like the S5 and Note 3, but the consumer version will likely require a next-gen mobile device.
Gamespot says, “It's worth noting that Oculus Rift for almost a year now has been talking about its ambition to bring virtual reality support to mobile devices, though it remains unclear how this will work.”
As device makers, Samsung would clearly have the upper hand here. Also, it’s rumored headset is said to have an OLED display that is “as good or better” than the one in the Rift.
Makes sense as PCWorld reports Samsung’s device will focus on gaming.
Specifically, Android games. To which Android Police says, “If gaming is going to be Samsung's focus, relying on Android gaming developers to provide consumer-ready titles for an untested market seems like an odd choice.”
I’m sure we don’t need to tell you that might not be the choice at all. There might not even be a Samsung VR headset.
Samsung’s official line, “Samsung doesn't comment on rumor and speculation.”
