Samsung has announced a limited launch of its Gear 360 camera, which was first revealed earlier this year at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The camera is available in the United States for $ 349.99 at VidCon, an online video convention in Anaheim, California; it will be available on a wider basis ‘later in the year,’ but Samsung did not provide a specific date.
The Samsung Gear 360 camera features a pair of 15MP cameras with F2.0 lenses housed in a round body. When used together, the cameras record 360-degree videos at 3840 x 1920 pixels, as well as spherical still images. The camera also allows users to record content with only one camera for 180-degree content. For now at least, the Gear 360 camera only works with the latest Samsung mobile devices, including the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, Galaxy S6, S6 edge, and S6 edge+, and the Galaxy Note 5.
In addition, the company has renamed Samsung Milk VR app for viewing 360-degree content to simply ‘Samsung VR,’ and has opened up the platform to user-generated content. Finally, Samsung has unveiled a new initiative called Samsung Creators. Under the initiative, Samsung is working with indie filmmakers and others to develop 360-degree content for its own virtual reality platform. Samsung Creators has a competition planned for July in which ten winners will be selected for their VR content spanning ten categories: Music, Auto, Science and Tech, Gaming, Travel, Fashion, Culinary, Cause-related, 4D and Sports.
Press release:
NEW YORK – June 22, 2016 – Today Samsung Electronics America, Inc. launched Samsung Creators, a new initiative that empowers storytellers, partnering with them to generate content across a variety of audiences and channels to show everyday creators what’s possible with Samsung VR technology.
“We want to bring the power of VR technology directly to the people,” said Samsung Electronics America’s Chief Marketing Officer Marc Mathieu. “To help creators learn and perfect the art of VR storytelling, we’ve built an entire VR ecosystem that pushes beyond the frame and empowers them to develop unforgettable, immersive stories, and inspires us all to do the same.”
At VidCon—and, beyond—Samsung Creators will provide seminars and classes, putting VR capabilities in the hands of filmmakers and influencers, further accelerating this new medium. Leading into VidCon, Samsung Creators is working with Casey Neistat to spotlight emerging creators from YouTube and push the creative boundaries of 360 video storytelling. This special curation of content will premiere at VidCon.
In July, Samsung Creators will launch a competition, challenging aspiring, indie filmmakers and creators to develop VR / 360 content, using Samsung’s VR products. Ten winners will be chosen, one from each of the following ten categories: Music, Auto, Science and tech, Gaming, Travel, Fashion, Culinary, Cause-related, 4D and Sports.
For more information about Samsung Creators, please visit www.samsungcreators.com.
Samsung VR and Samsung Gear 360 Updates
In addition, today Samsung launched Samsung VR– formerly known as Samsung Milk VR – which now supports user generated content. Creators can load their own 360-degree videos to the Samsung VR platform for sharing and for the first time view them in Samsung Gear VR. For more information about uploading content to Samsung VR, please visit https://samsungvr.com.
Samsung Gear 360 also launched in the U.S. today, an affordable, high-resolution camera developed for storytellers to create their own 360-degree videos for mobile viewing and VR content for Samsung Gear VR, powered by Oculus. The Gear 360 is priced at $ 349.99 in the United States and will be available for purchase on a limited basis during VidCon in Anaheim, California. Details about additional availability will follow later in the year. For more information about Gear 360, please visit www.samsung.com/gear360.
With these announcements, Samsung delivers the first end-to-end VR ecosystem that enables creators to shoot, stitch and share like never before.
About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), is a recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology. A wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SEA delivers a broad range of digital consumer electronics, IT and home appliance products. Samsung is the market leader for HDTVs in the U.S and one of America’s fastest growing home appliance brands. To discover more of the award-winning products you love with Samsung, please visit www.samsung.com and for the latest Samsung news, please visit news.samsung.com/us and follow on Twitter @SamsungNewsUS.
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems, and semiconductor and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.
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