Samsung's Gear VR is getting its own web browser

In an effort to make its Gear VR a more commercially appealing offer, Samsung is launching a dedicated VR browser. The project bears the rather descriptive name "Samsung Internet for Gear VR" and its main purpose looks to be a more versatile solution for streaming online video on the headset, regardless of the source.

It's a virtual reality web browser that seems aimed at letting people stream videos from places like YouTube without going through a dedicated app, while providing general internet access… It supports both 360-degree and 3D video streaming, as well as any HTML5 video from the web.

This is an important step for broadening the available content pool, which is currently limited to proprietary apps, like YouTube and Netflix. The browser is also specifically designed to accommodate the VR experience. Navigation, for example, is simplified via an on-screen keyboard and a "gaze mode". Netflix on Gear VR already uses this technology, which simply allows the user to stare at things to get around, instead of having to tap on them with an external trackpad.

Samsung will make sure to import your existing bookmarks from your Galaxy's default browser, although, we can't imagine checking your mail or the news in eye-straining VR mode is really the end goal here.

Source | Via