Skip to main content

Over one million VR adventurers used Samsung’s Gear VR headset in April

samsung vr million cingo gear
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Oculus VR published a blog post on Tuesday revealing that more than one million people used Gear VR in April. That’s quite impressive given that the device currently only works with a limited number of Samsung phones: the Galaxy S7, the Galaxy S7 Edge, the Galaxy Note 5, the Galaxy S6, and the Galaxy S6 Edge. The headset itself costs an extra $100 on top of the phone, thus there are apparently a lot of dedicated Samsung customers wanting in on the VR action.

According to Oculus VR, since its launch, developers have generated more than 250 applications for the Samsung Gear VR platform, which is powered by Oculus VR (Facebook) technology. For instance, Gear VR users can be dazzled by the oh-so-addicting Minecraft game along with other titles like the End Space action game, the Bait! fishing game, the Deer Hunter VR shooting game, and a number of others.

Recommended Videos

Currently, some of the top-selling applications for Gear VR include EVE Gunjack, Star Chart, Dreadhalls, End Space, Escape Room VR, Land’s End, Ocean Rift, and Bandit Six. Some of the listed “must haves” consist of Hulu, Goosebumps Night of Scares, Bandit Six: Salvo, Milk VR, and Orion Trail VR. Netflix is even showcased on the Gear VR library storefront.

“VR video continues to be one of the most popular experiences on Gear VR,” the company said in its blog. “Seven of the top 10 most used apps are videos and, on any given day, nearly 80% of people who use Gear VR watch video content.”

The company pointed out in its blog that Facebook will begin adding 360 photos to the News Feed in the coming months. These photos can be taken with a phone or a 360 camera, and viewed in VR form using the Oculus 360 Photos app provided for the Gear VR headset. Compatible Samsung phones will display a “View in VR” button when these 360 pictures appear on Facebook, indicating that users can slap the phone into their headset and view them in VR.

Oculus VR also revealed that Oculus Home for Gear VR will be updated in June. It will feature a revamped design to make searching for recently downloaded content a bit easier. A “What’s New” section will also be added along with a retooled library in the Oculus mobile app to make finding new applications easier for Gear VR owners as well.

Samsung launched the Gear VR headset back in November 2015. It’s relatively cheap compared to the Oculus Rift because the majority of the hardware resides within the compatible Samsung smartphone. The device features an inertial measurement unit (IMU) for rotational tracking that connects to the smartphone’s micro USB port. There’s also a proximity sensor for detecting when the headset is worn, and both a back button and a touchpad for content navigation.

Of course, if you don’t own one of the required Samsung phones but want a (cheap) taste of VR, there’s always Google Cardboard, which is compatible with nearly all Android and iOS-based phones (depending on the size). Unlike Gear VR, you have to fold this cardboard-based device together, and it’s rather delicate compared to Gear VR’s hard casing (read: whip out the adhesive tape for repairs). The Cardboard lenses aren’t Super AMOLED screens either, making the cost of Cardboard extremely low compared to Samsung’s solution.

Regardless, Oculus VR indicated that it’s looking forward to serving the next million users of Samsung’s Gear VR headset. The ecosystem is growing by the day, the company said, with Nomads from Felix & Paul Studios arriving on Wednesday and Discovery VR’s Deadliest Catch video experience arriving next week.

Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
GeForce Now introduces a 100-hour monthly playtime cap
nvidia geforce now ultimate halfway across country 1

Nvidia’s GeForce Now is undergoing significant changes. Its Priority membership has been rebranded as the "Performance" tier, bringing an enhanced gaming experience at the same price. Performance members can now stream games at up to 1440p resolution and in ultrawide formats, with settings saved across sessions. This upgrade aligns the Performance tier closer to Ultimate, the highest tier, which supports 4K streaming and high refresh rates through GeForce RTX 4080-powered servers.

One of the most notable changes coming in 2025 is the introduction of a 100-hour monthly playtime cap for both Performance and Ultimate members, aimed at managing Nvidia’s cloud infrastructure. Nvidia also mentions in its blog post that this limit will affect only a small percentage of its player base, with over 94% of users typically playing well within this timeframe. To offer flexibility, Nvidia will allow up to 15 unused hours to roll over to the following month. Users who reach their limit can purchase extra playtime, with additional 15-hour blocks available at $2.99 for Performance members and $5.99 for Ultimate members.

Read more
These AI features might actually make me use Paint and Notepad again
Windows 11 logo on a laptop.

Your everyday Windows apps are going to get a whole lot smarter. As Microsoft mentions in its Windows Insiders Blog, using the Windows 11 Paint and Notepad app will improve thanks to new AI features that the tech giant is adding to make it more helpful for users. It's still in early testing, and there is no official information about when or if it'll roll out to all users.

For starters, the Notepad app for Windows 11, after getting an update that added autocorrect and spellcheck, is now getting a new Rewrite ability that helps you rewrite highlighted text following any instructions you add.

Read more
Best Samsung Galaxy deals: S24, Buds, Watches and more
The Galaxy Z Fold 4's Cover Screen.

Samsung’s Galaxy lineup is one of the more popular tech lineups on the market. Among it you’ll find some of the best headphone deals, best smartwatch deals, best tablet deals, and best phone deals available. Whatever piece of tech you may have your eye on Samsung likely has within the Galaxy lineup. These devices also see pretty significant discounts pretty regularly, so we thought we’d round up all of the best Samsung Galaxy deals to make finding the right Samsung Galaxy model for you more convenient. Read onward for all of the details on how to save, and if you’d like to shop more specifically within the Galaxy lineup you can start with Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 deals, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 deals, Samsung Galaxy Buds deals, or Samsung tablet deals.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2 — $107 $199 46% off

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are the high-end model of Samsung’s Galaxy Buds earbuds. They make great competition for the best wireless earbuds even if they don’t make everyone’s list, and with their Intelligent Active Noise-Cancelation technology they compare well with the best noise-canceling headphones. The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro produce high quality audio whether you’re listening to music, watching movies, or talking on the phone, and they pair easily with any Bluetooth device.

Read more