We had the Samsung Gear VR team in our office recently and they gave us a hands on look at the new Gear VR 2. Here are some of the notable improvements.
Update: You can now pre-order the Gear VR 2 on Best Buy's website today (April 24) - http://ow.ly/M3JVp
First of all, the headset is lighter and the phone connector is tighter. Apparently it is 15 percent smaller than the original, Innovator version. There is a silent fan that helps keep the lenses fog free.
One thing we noticed and totally appreciate is the USB port on the bottom of the headset, which allows you to charge while the phone is plugged into the unit. We do a lot of events and having a plug on the outside is going to come in handy. (The Innovator version did not have a plug on the outside, you you had to remove the phone to power it.)
The Focus Wheel gives you an extra 10-20% more tuning ability.
For those of you that always had a hard time with the trackpad on the side of the unit, they have added a small tactile bump, which is great for finding the center of the pad. The trackpad feels like it has been indented a little more, making the edges more pronounced.
We got to look at some of our latest work on the Galaxy S6 phone that fits beautifully in the headset. I have to say that it delivered the best picture quality we have ever seen in a VR headset. Pixel density was fantastic, removing the screendoor effect that has plagued headsets for years.
The future looks great.
- Dan Ferguson
