In June 2014, Google informed the world that, in order to enjoy a VR experience on your mobile ‘phone, all you need is … Cardboard. Then, as I reported at the end of 2014, Samsung announced the availability of its Gear VR headset, which utilises their Galaxy Note 4 phablet and technology from Oculus VR, while Zeiss released VR One for the Samsung Galaxy S5 and iPhone 6.
Now, not to be outdone, Samsung’s home-grown rival in the world of mobile devices and consumer electronics, LG, is also getting in on the act.
On Monday, February 9th, LG announced the availability of VR for their G3 handsets. Like Google’s DIY cardboard kit (made available in full kit form by Dodocase, to save you having to source the parts yourself), VR for G3 is a hand-held unit providing a set of optics into which LG’s new range of G3 ‘phones can sit. In fact, not only does it look like Google Cardboard’s grown-up cousin, it is actually based on the cardboard headset design and is intended to be used with the Google Cardboard development environment for mobile VR experiences, and any apps built using that environment.
What’s more, it’s free. Well, free for those buying a new LG G3 handset, and then possibly only for a limited time period. Currently, no details have been released on pricing once the promotional period has ended. It is also currently unclear if VR for G3 will be made available as a separate accessory for the G3 ‘phone.
“This is just the beginning of the virtual reality movement, which until recently was expensive and inaccessible to everyday consumers,” Chris Yie, vice president and head of marketing communications at the LG Electronics Mobile Communications, was quoted as saying in a press release from the company announcing the move. “By leveraging Google Cardboard, not only are regular consumers able to participate in the VR experience, we’ll be able to introduce this technology to future developers who may one day show us how VR can be used to improve our lives.”
VR for G3 will be rolled-out across LG’s global markets over the coming month, and the promotion will include a code allowing purchasers of the handset and headset to download the VR game Robobliteration.
With a screen resolution of 2560 x 1440, and packing a whooping 538 pixels-per-inch, the G3 handset is seen by LG as an ideal candidate for running immersive VR applications, and the hand-held headset includes optics specifically designed to leverage the screen’s capabilities. As with Google’s original Cardboard design, a ring mounted on the left side of the headset, together with a small magnet within the unit work with the gyroscope sensor in the G3 to select applications and scroll through menus without the user needing to touch the display.
Google are also keen to emphasise their involvement in LG’s entry in to the VR marketplace. “With Google Cardboard, we wanted to create more immersive and delightful experiences for anyone on their mobile devices,” Andrew Nartker, Product Manager for Google Cardboard is also quoted as saying in the LG press release. “We are excited about VR for G3, and the rich ecosystem of developers and manufacturers who are innovating with Google Cardboard and making VR more easily accessible.”
How much of an actual market exists for mobile VR has yet to be seen (by necessity, VR-on-the-go is more suited to sitting down rather than wandering the streets, so many might perfer to await the arrival of Oculus Rift CV-1 and similar headsets). However, it would appear that manufacturers like LG might see it as a way of reinvigorating ‘phone sales in the face of an saturated market.
Source links
- LG G3 and GOOGLE Cardboard bring mobile Virtual Reality to everyday life – LG
- LG unveils VR for G3, its own virtual reality headset inspired by Google Cardboard – Venture Beat
- For LG’s G3, virtual reality is just a bundle away – cnet
- LG announces a Google Cardboard–based virtual reality headset – Gigaom
All images courtesy of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company.
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