Plenty of information has already leaked out about Samsung’s upcoming “Gear VR” headset, including some pretty clear shots of how it looks on the eye side.
These low quality shots from an apparent leaker show face plates in two different colours, some in a a traditional Samsung blue, others in what appear to be gold, maybe unpainted. And close-ups show the Samsung name emblazoned on the front.
But probably the most notable thing is the faceplates. They’re mirrored, garish, and just generally look like a 1990s-style idea of “cool.” Getting it right is important for a VR headset and the future of VR in general. Any wearable gadget has to reach with a higher bar of attractiveness simply because consumers have to wear it. That’s something smartwatches are still struggling with. Not to mention Google Glass.
And while no one (in their right mind) is going to wear a VR headset out in public or all the time, virtual reality is already fighting an uphill battle against bulky face-puters.
There’s a reason Oculus VR has snapped up Carbon Design, the company that took the original Xbox’s bulky “Duke” controller and turned it into the Xbox 360’s dual-thumbsticked cultural icon; VR looks weird, and it needs to be normalized. Step number one is not making it look any harder than it needs to. So hopefully Samsung’s Gear VR actually has a different style — or at the very least looks a little better in person. [SamMobile via Ubergizmo]