Samsung released the Gear VR headset in partnership with Oculus in 2015.
Samsung Gear VR was a smartphone-based virtual-reality headset developed by Samsung Electronics with Oculus, the company later known as part of Meta. The first consumer version became available in November 2015. It used selected Samsung Galaxy phones as its display and computing platform.
The headset included lenses, head straps, a touchpad, and buttons for navigating compatible VR software. Unlike a fully self-contained headset, Gear VR relied on the inserted phone for graphics, tracking, battery power, and the screen. Oculus supplied software and an application store designed for the device.
Gear VR is often mixed up with Oculus Rift. Rift was a tethered PC headset, while Gear VR was mobile and generally less powerful. The partnership also differed from Google Cardboard, which described a broad low-cost viewer approach rather than a Samsung-built product with an integrated software experience.