Huawei goes after Samsung with its own Gear VR clone

How times have changed. For years, Samsung has been accused of copying Apple's ideas. But now, companies are copying it for a change.

At Huawei's Shanghai P9 and P9 Plus launch, the company brought out its Samsung Gear VR headset clone, as spotted by Engadget.

Called the Huawei VR, the headset is designed to work with the company's Mate 8, P9 and P9 Plus smartphones.

Like the Gear VR, there's a touchpad on the right side of Huawei VR for navigating in a VR app. The lenses are adjustable and come with an anti-blue light filter to reduce stress on your eyes. Glasses wearers are out of luck, as the headset's apparently too small to fit them.

The headset has a 95-degree field of view, a degree lower than the Gear VR. Since the headset uses the Mate 8, P9 or P9 Plus for its screen, the image quality's also lower than the Gear VR. Huawei's phones only have 1080p resolution, whereas Samsung's phones have QuadHD.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The report claims the Huawei VR is the first mobile VR headset to support 3D sound through headphones and in a supported app. It's unclear what that really means since Samsung's MilkVR app for the Gear VR supports 3D spatial sound with simulated surround sound.

Content apparently won't be an issue. According to the report, the Huawei VR will come with more than 4,000 free movies, 40 free games, 350 panoramic images and 150 panoramic tours.

Huawei hasn't announced pricing or a release date for its VR headset. Let's hope pricing is competitive with Samsung's $99 Gear VR.

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