Huawei announces VR headset to rival Gear VR

When you think about VR headsets, there are three names that probably come to mind: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Samsung Gear VR. Aside from the likes of Google Cardboard, which is hardly a competitor, there aren't many other competitors in the VR headset space. Well today Gear VR is getting a little bit of competition from Huawei.

The smartphone maker recently announced plans for their own mobile VR headset, which will be a direct competitor to the Gear VR. Much like Samsung's device, the Huawei VR will make use of three of the company's flagship phones. Specifically, the Huawei P9, P9 Plus, and the larger Mate 8. Unfortunately, all three phones sport 1080p screens, which will no doubt lead to a lesser experience than Samsung's device.

Huawei has revealed that the headset will be the first to support 360-degree sound. It will feature a 95-degree FoV, which is almost as good as Samsung's 96-degree FoV. You'll also find features such as adjustable lenses, touch panel, volume rocker, and a back button. In all, it sounds pretty comparable to the Gear VR, only specifically tied to Huawei's line of phones instead of Samsung's.

Right now we don't have any pricing or availability, as the company has decided to wait to reveal these details. Interestingly, they did announce that they would offer a lot of free content for the headset. This includes more than 4000 movies, 40 games, 150 panoramic tours, and 350 panoramic images, all for free.

VIA: Engadget