The Korean giant has begun its adventure into the world of virtual reality on the right foot. Its Gear VR headset is already on sale, and so is the Galaxy Note 4 smartphone. We recently talked about Temple Run VR, one of the first full games for the platform, but now it's the turn of Milk VR, a service that will offer 360-degree videos at no cost, especially prepared for playback on the Gear VR.
Any company can develop the best device in the world, but if it's not accompanied by a good amount of software, it will likely gather dust on a shelf. That is the great fear that all those who have decided to bet on virtual reality feel. Image quality and processing power are at the desired levels, but what is needed now are compelling reasons for the user to go and acquire a virtual headset. Projects like Temple Run VR definitely help; however, limiting themselves to games would be a grave error. Virtual reality opens a range of possibilities in terms of films, series, music videos and concerts. Some will be responsible for developing that content, while others will assume the task of distributing it. That is when Samsung's Milk VR service appears.
The mission of Milk VR is divided into two parts: first, to convince skeptics that there is a good future in virtual reality, and second, that existing content serves as a reference for producers, directors and artists interested in developing new ideas on the Gear VR platform. Nick DiCarlo, the head of virtual reality at Samsung, explained that he wants to measure the success of the virtual headset through user engagement, not on the number of units sold. He also added that today video is “like the Wild West” in virtual reality, and confirmed that Milk VR will be able to play a wide variety of content.
Access to Milk VR videos will be completely free for those who use the Gear VR, and Samsung will absorb (at least for now) the costs of each one. Samsung is not only assuming the role of pioneer here, but also seeks to explore the limits of virtual reality as a new source of revenue. From smartphones to tablets, the entire mobile space is losing traction, and the Korean giant has felt some blows. Will Milk VR be the ideal companion for the headset?
