Samsung today opened pre-orders for its latest virtual reality headset, the Samsung Galaxy VR Consumer Edition, and announced that the device will be available in Canada on December 11.
Announced in late September at Facebook’s Oculus Connect 2 conference, the new headset is set to retail in Canada for $139.99 — not quite the $99 our neighbours to the south will be able to purchase it for — and will be available at The Source, Best Buy and Samsung Experience Stores (essentially Samsung branded kiosks within Best Buy stores across the country).
The press release Samsung sent us also mentions that select national carriers will sell the device, though it doesn’t provide specifics. Given that The Source is listed as a retail partner, it’s a good bet Bell will be one of the carriers to stock it.
Besides a reduced price compared to the Gear VR Innovator Edition, the consumer variant of the Gear VR also ditches the fan vent of its predecessor, is 30 percent lighter and features improved ergonomics. Thanks to a new partnership with Netflix, also announced at Oculus Connect 2, it’s possible to watch video content from the popular streaming site on the headset.
Like previous entries in the Gear VR series, you’ll need a compatible Samsung smartphone to properly use the headset. In this case, compatibility is limited to Samsung’s latest family of flagship smartphones: the Galaxy S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+ and Note 5.
