Mike Adams Live: Samsung Galaxy S7 works in the existing Gear VR visor

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Samsung Galaxy S7 works in the existing Gear VR visor

You won't have to buy a new virtual reality visor from Samsung to use it with the new Galaxy S7 phones.

A burning question we had regarding the Galaxy S7 was whether it would eschew the newer USB-C port for charging and data in favor of the tried-and-true (but also outdated) micro-USB. Now that that's been answered (micro-USB it is), we move on to the next burning question. Would the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge be able to fit in the Gear VR visor that's still relatively new? Or would Samsung have to release a new version already for this newer phone?

And the answer, we're happy to say, is that current Gear VR owners won't have to drop another $99 on a new visor should they also get a Galaxy S7. The new phone works just fine in the current-generation Gear VR, something Samsung says it planed on from the beginning. From the overall size to the positioning of the micro-USB port, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge are a perfect fit. At some point, we imagine, Samsung will switch over to USB-C, which has the main advantage of being reversible, so you don't have to worry about plugging it in the "right" way. It also allows for faster data transfers, which never is a bad thing. But it's still pretty new, and only a handful of phones are currently using it.

The Gear VR, if you've yet to dabble in this flavor of virtual reality, is Samsung's proprietary VR visor. The experience is powered by Oculus (maker of the more high-end Oculus Rift VR system) and brings a pretty good stereoscopic VR experience, using your phone's screen as the display. The phone plugs into the visor, the visor goes on your head, and your brain enters a semi-virtual world. You've got a directional pad and back button to go along with the on-screen controls, and you can plug in via micro-USB to keep things charged while you explore, if you wish. All in all it's a really good (and relatively inexpensive) virtual-reality experience.

The Gear VR works with the Galaxy S6, GS6 edge and GS6 edge+ phones, as well as the Galaxy Note 5. And, now, with the the Galaxy S7.