Samsung Gear-VR Controller

Samsung's latest Gear-VR offering has just what I need for ChemSim-VR/Mobile. In the image, above, the remote control-looking device on the right is what I'm referring to. The headset itself remains largely unchanged, requiring a late-model Samsung phone up to a Galaxy S7 and, presumably, the widely foretold S8.

Without a hand-held controller, mobile VR developers and designers were stuck with the touch pad on previous Gear-VR headsets as their only stock input device. Either that or use a third-party gamepad that can cost half as much as the Gear-VR. I suspect Google's Daydream headset and controller inspired Samsung to finally produce a controller of their own. For programming the controller, Oculus provides the Gear-VR With Controller SDK.

A year ago I made the decision to forego Gear-VR as a target platform for ChemSim-VR. At the time there were too many unknowns about the hardware, even after testing produced favorable results. I thought phone-mount VR headsets might become popular some day, but I wasn't willing to bet on it. Now there are clear indications Samsung Gear-VR and Google Daydream are contentenders for entry-level virtual reality teaching and learning applications.