Samsung Gear VR price cut in half while support for Galaxy smartphones expands

Virtual reality will be the future of gaming, movies, and more. A major issue for many people is the price of the headset and the computing power necessary to run VR, but that is quickly going to change.

Samsung just announced that the Oculus Gear VR will launch for just $99 in November and work with the 2015 Samsung Galaxy lineup. I know what I want for Christmas and this news just confirms that my Note 5 is sticking around.

A couple of months ago I tested out Google Cardboard with my family. They were blown away, even by the limited virtual reality functions of this paper accessory. I tested out the amazing HTC Vive last month and am still vividly recalling the experience. I can't wait to use VR for ship design, primarily as a means to allow our clients to "walk" around the ship design before it gets built, and think there are unlimited opportunities for the technology.

The $99 Samsung Gear VR 2015 will be compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge+, and Note 5. Previously, the Gear VR worked with a limited number of Galaxy devices and cost $199. It is also 22 percent lighter than the current model.

Besides the price drop and expanded compatibility, there will also be more content available to users. Gaming is the natural first area for VR and there will be more game support. However, Netflix, Hulu, Vimeo, and more are also coming to Gear VR and Oculus Rift. I look forward to enjoying immersive movies on my Note 5 in the near future.