Samsung’s Gear 360 virtual reality camera can now be purchased at more locations. Previously only available through online retailers, the company is now also selling the device directly in-store through Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, U.S. Cellular, and Best Buy.
The $349.99 camera went on sale in the U.S. on August 19, five months after its debut at this year’s Mobile World Congress. Samsung limited its release initially, starting with content creators at VidCon and Lollapalooza, largely in a bid to gain traction — there’s no shortage of competitors.
[aditude-amp id="flyingcarpet" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":2082637,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"arvr,mobile,","session":"A"}']Selling the device in-store gives Samsung the opportunity to highlight to customers the possibilities of its ecosystem, something that it has actively touted in press briefings. While you’re buying a phone — not the Samsung Galaxy Note7, of course — Samsung hopes to upsell you on other accessories, such as its new Samsung Gear VR headset, or perhaps the Gear 360, its IconX headphones, a Samsung Gear smartwatch, and more.
This will also give most customers a first-hand experience with the VR device, as before they were limited to what media and pundits said about it.
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Weighing 5.39 ounces (153 grams), the Samsung Gear 360 is a spherical camera with two F/2.0 fisheye lenses that capture 195-degree photos and videos and then stitch them together. It allows photos of up to 30 megapixels and supports “90 percent of 4K” for the whole sphere when you’re capturing images at the highest resolution (3840×1920). The device holds up to 128GB of memory in a microSD card, allowing you to shoot up to 7 hours of video at the highest quality. It also has a 1,350 mAH lithium-ion battery that lasts up to two hours.
You can read our review of the device here.
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