Virtual reality 2015: A year of low-cost options
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Virtual reality got to consumers in 2015. The release of Samsung gear VR represented the first low-cost VR device, one that will be followed by a flood of others in various price ranges next year.
Samsung's Gear VR works with one of four Samsung phones.(Photo: Samsung)
NEW YORK—Most people who try on virtual reality headgear can’t help but be blown away. With it you can travel to the top of Mt. Everest, sit courtside at an NBA game, or tag along in the cockpit flying with the Blue Angels.
Samsung and Google gave folks a taste of VR in 2015, the latter with the Google Cardboard fold-out mount for smartphones, the former with the Gear VR headgear that Samsung co-developed with Facebook-owned Oculus.
Cardboard generally starts around $15, but prices for this simple viewer vary and sometimes it is distributed free as part of a promotion. Meantime, dozens of companies, including Mattel[1], make custom versions of Cardboard, not all out of cardboard. Google recently unveiled a new version that accommodates larger-sized cellphones.
At $99.99, Samsung priced Gear VR [2]for the mainstream, though it does require one of four premium Samsung phones: Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge. Such devices snap into a compartment on the back of Gear VR, ruling out iPhones or other rival devices.
On the plus side, there’s a growing collection of available content that works with Gear VR, including games, 360 videos, and about a half-dozen feature-length films from 20th Century Fox and Lionsgate. You can download or stream content via a store within the Gear VR environment.
Issues remain: Some users may have to fuss with fit and comfort. Some may get motion sickness.
And some may choose to wait for the richer, more elaborate, and yes, pricier, virtual reality experiences coming in 2016: Sony’s PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive. The reality for consumers is you'll have a broader range of VR options next year from which to choose.
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The investing world was disrupted big-time in 2015 with the age of roboadvisors - or online services that will pick stocks for you based on your personal financial goals and taste for risk. Just push a button - and bam - you have a brokerage account.
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Automakers released a variety of technologies in 2015 increasingly allows the car to take over certain tasks from the driver.
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Virtual reality got to consumers in 2015. The release of Samsung gear VR represented the first low-cost VR device, one that will be followed by a flood of others in various price ranges next year.
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The finalization of the American Airlines/US Airways merger in October took the industry from six major legacy airlines in 2005 to just three today. And Marriott’s deal to buy Starwood will soon create the world’s largest hotel chain.
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The way we paid changed drastically in 2015. Mobile payment options grew, chip-embedded cards were rolled out in the U.S. and so did the number of people using mobile devices for holiday shopping.
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USA TODAY's Jefferson Graham takes a look at the top apps that made smartphone users say 'Wow!' in 2015.
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- How business changed in 2015: Robots managed your cash
How business changed in 2015: Cars got on the road to driving themselves last year
- How business changed in 2015: Lower prices helped bring virtual reality to the masses
How business changed in 2015: Consolidation in the travel industry reduced options
- How business changed in 2015: You could wave a phone to check out
The apps that made you say 'Wow!' this year
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References
- ^ Mattel (rssfeeds.usatoday.com)
- ^ Gear VR (rssfeeds.usatoday.com)
- ^ @edbaig (twitter.com)
- ^ Last Video (rssfeeds.usatoday.com)
- ^ Next Video (rssfeeds.usatoday.com)