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Johannesburg - South Korean electronics manufacturer, Samsung unveiled a new Virtual Reality (VR) headset which features built-in motion-trackers.
Until now the company had only released devices with magnifying lens on a VR headset which housed a smartphone.
The new Samsung Exynos VR standalone headset prototype which does not hold a smartphone, makes use of eye-tracking technology and features its own processor.
The Exynos VR features two 4K lens, which is regarded as the smallest sized display to achieve life-like quality through VR with a screen refresh rate of 90 frames per second.
The headset is also expected to support “hand tracking, voice recognition, and facial expression recognition”, according to mobile computer information website, Liliputing.
READ: Samsung SA reveals VR headset pricing
Toward the end of 2017 Facebook announced the Oculus Rift and Oculus Touch for navigation when paired with the VR headset.
Facebook also partnered with Samsung for the Gear VR, powered by Oculus. The social network’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg, earlier this year made an appearance at the launch of the Galaxy S7 in 2016, which was paired with the VR headset and 360 degree camera.
Standalone Samsung VR Headset Includes Visual Camp’s Eye-Tracking Technology https://t.co/3aQtmV002H pic.twitter.com/DtAMdOu8ae
— WinBuzzer (@WBuzzer) July 4, 2017
Meanwhile, streaming website YouTube this week announced that it would allow users to stream 4K videos live and in 360 degrees.
In terms of 360 degree virtual reality, YouTube's screening of 1080p HD content results in a softer, pixelated picture while in 4K resolution this content will be sharper and more realistic to the eye.
READ: 2017 to see increase in VR usage with Oculus, Youtube
“With 360 4K live streams, the sky is (literally) the limit. Get ready for 360 concert and event streams that look sharper, cleaner, and brighter than ever before,” YouTube said previously.
Samsung’s current virtual reality headset in South Africa sells at a recommended retail price of R3 499.
The headset is powered by virtual reality firm Oculus - can be attached to Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge smartphones.
The headset then works with the smartphones’ screens to provide for a virtual reality experience.
