Samsung Unveils Galaxy Phablet and VR Headset

edge_12Samsung has revealed its new Galaxy Note Edge phablet with curved edge display, as well as a VR Headset designed to work with its Galaxy Note 4.

The announcements were both made at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, where earlier this week Samsung revealed some of its plans for upcoming smart home technology.

The Galaxy Note Edge has similar specs to the recent unveiled Galaxy Note 4, but boasts a curved edge display that works independently of the regular screen, with contextual controls for whatever app youre using. For example, while using a music app, it will feature volume controls and play, pause and seek buttons, and for a camera app, flash and zoom controls will display instead.

“The Galaxy Note series signaled extraordinary innovation within the technology industry,” said JK Shin, CEO and head of IT & mobile communication at Samsung. “Its larger screen and iconic S Pen technology launched a new standard in smartphone culture. With the introduction of the Galaxy Note series, we brought the age-old culture of the pen and notepad into the digital world.”

As with the Galaxy Note 4, no price or availability date has been announced so far.

The Samsung Gear VR is a headset that plugs into the Galaxy Note 4 to create a virtual reality experience similar to the Oculus Rift. The headset itself contains a number of sensors used to track movement, while the Note 4s processor and battery deal with producing the display.

Samsung is relying on Oculus Rift content to develop an ecosystem for the device at the moment, with users given access to the Oculus VR store. The Gear VR will also enable users to remotely attend concerts and take 360 degree tours of locations in the future.

Upon launch, the Gear VR will include special content from Samsungs partnership with Marvel, including a virtual tour of Tony Starks Lab as well as film trailers, and 360 degree, 3D VR performances from Cirque Du Soleil and Zarkana.

“We are thrilled to reveal the Gear VR Innovator Edition, a state-of-the-art mobile VR experience powered by Oculus,” said John Carmack, CTO of Oculus. “The deep technical partnership with Samsung has enabled us to create a virtual reality headset with world class resolution and performance, all on a completely mobile platform.”