Samsung is looking to jump start the virtual reality movement by launching Milk VR, a service launched by the Korean electronics conglomerate which will provide free 360-degree videos to anyone using a Gear VR virtual-reality headset.
The Gear VR virtual-reality headset was launched earlier this month as a limited Innovator’s Edition. Content is expected to be released consistently in an effort to keep user retention rates high.
Samsung hopes Milk VR will change people’s minds about the content available for the Gear VR. The videos will also act as a guide for future artists and filmmakers who want to use the virtual reality platform. Getting into the virtual reality space early will give content creators an advantage in building an audience for the Gear VR.
Milk VR is not alone, sitting alongside it are the Milk Video and Milk Radio services, which plunges Samsung even deeper into the VR content game.
Head of Samsung’s VR business Nick DiCarlo said “Video is like the Wild West in VR,” in an interview earlier this month. “There are so many ways to shoot immersive video. Milk VR can play a wide range of content.”
Samsung partnered with Facebook’s Oculus Rift to develop a virtual-reality headset powered by mobile devices, which was part of a big announcement that included the Galaxy Note 4 and a smartwatch.
On December 8, the Gear VR became available for purchase in the US, aimed mainly at artists and developers wanting to try out the device rather than for the general public. The headset costs $199 and needs a Galaxy Note 4, which serves as the display, audio output, and processing unit.
Since Smartphone sales have slowed down, which is Samsung’s traditional revenue source, the company is looking at virtual reality as a potential engine for growth.