Don’t Expect Samsung’s Commercial Gear VR To Work With Galaxy Note 5

Samsung and Oculus impressed virtual reality enthusiasts everywhere at the end of 2014 with the release of the developer’s version of the Gear VR. It wasn’t perfect, but loved by many. Ben Gilbert of Engadget, described one of the device’s best uses.

“I shot of my cat with the Note 4 — I went from shooting a video with my phone to watching it in a massive virtual theater in less than one minute. Little touches like that offer an amuse-bouche to the feast of virtual reality experiences to come.”

Gilbert went on to note that the virtual reality experience the Galaxy Note 4-operated Gear VR offered was literally out of this world, even if there were some flaws that need to be worked out. One hoped that those flaws would have been worked out with the 2nd developers edition of the Gear VR, released this past May for the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Unfortunately, as the Inquisitr reported around the time of its arrival, there were some users who complained about the lens fogging (despite the fan), the narrow field of view (worse than it was on previous version), and complaints about light reflection.

One of the biggest problems with both developer’s versions of the Gear VR was that even though the virtual reality headset was used with smartphones that had Quad HD screens, there was still a “screen door” effect where users could see individual pixels. Many thought that the Galaxy Note 5 would have a 4K screen and would be used with the first commercial version of the Gear VR. According to many sources, including Android Headlines, that may not be the case.

“One could assume that because the earlier version of the Gear VR is already compatible with the Galaxy Note 4 series that the Galaxy Note 5 may be compatible as well being that they’re featuring the same size display. A recent rumor suggests however this may not be the case, and that the Gear VR will not work with the Galaxy Note 5.”

Android Headlines goes on to note that the rumor started with a legit Reddit user who says the devices are not compatible. According to NDTV and other sources, it’s possible that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy O smartphone will be made for use with the first commercial Gear VR. There are also rumors that the new Gear VR will come with its own screen and won’t rely on any smartphone. The first commercial version of the Gear VR is expected to be announced in September.

[Photo by Tasos Katopodis / Stringer for Getty Images]