The Gear VR takes your smartphone’s screen and holds it much closer to your eyes than you would ever do yourself. Then with the proper use of sensors, it makes you feel like you’re someplace else.
But Samsung doesn’t want you to think its weird-looking goggles are a one-trick pony. It has developed web browser that may not be quite as exciting as riding a helicopter over the Hawaiian islands but still manages to be significantly more immersive than your typical web surfing experience.
Samsung Internet, as the web browser is called, arranges webpages into floating windows, and you can select menus by looking at them. When the time comes to type, Samsung’s browser gives you the choice of voice recognition and a hovering keyboard. There’s support for bookmarks, and when you’re ready to watch a 360-degree video, the browser lets the Gear VR do its thing.
Samsung Internet for Gear VR beta will become available for download in the Oculus Store tomorrow, December 2nd.
Press Release
Samsung Launches Optimized Web Browser for Gear VR
Samsung Internet for Gear VR enables users to browse the web and enjoy content easily in a more immersive environment
SEOUL, Korea – December 2, 2015 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd today announced the web browser optimized for Gear VR. Samsung Internet for Gear VR is the latest virtual reality service along with a strengthened VR content ecosystem. The app now allows users to intuitively browse the web and enjoy content in a more immersive atmosphere without having to download content on to their smartphones.
“As a pioneer in the mobile VR industry, Samsung has continually worked to provide our users with a fully immersive mobile experience in the evolving world of virtual reality,” said Chan-Woo Park, Vice President of Product Strategy Team, IT Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “As the demand for 360-degree, immersive video content rapidly rises – Samsung Internet for Gear VR further enriches the VR content ecosystem for our consumers, setting an industry standard for the VR viewing experience.”
Through the Internet for VR, users can directly enjoy a variety of on-line content by browsing the web. It supports both 360-degree and 3D video streaming, as well as any HTML5 video from the web, allowing users to enjoy video content in a fully immersive environment.
Furthermore, in order to make text input intuitive and easy, Internet for VR provides voice recognition, along with on-screen keyboard. With Gaze Mode, users can select menus by simply gazing at them, without having to lift a finger. The app can also import bookmarks from the mobile web browser, Samsung Internet for Android, and provides helpful features such as Quick Access, Bookmarks and Tab Manager, giving users a familiar web browsing experience.
Samsung Internet for Gear VR beta version will be available for download in the Oculus Store beginning December 2. Supported Samsung devices include: Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note5 with Gear VR.