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CES 2017: Samsung sold five million Gear VR headsets

Users have viewed over 10 million hours of 360-degree video in VR.

David Craddock

January 4, 2017 3:48 PM

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At CES in Las Vegas this week, Samsung Electronics America boss Tim Baxter announced that the company has sold through five million Gear VR headsets, per a report on Venture Beat.

Baxter shared other numbers indicating the growing popularity of VR and Samsung's Gear VR HMD in particular. Specifically, users have viewed over 10 million hours of video, and more content is being uploaded using the Gear 360 camera.

Samsung's figure speaks volumes about the state of VR. While some pundits have lamented VR's slow start and adoption rate, those figures mostly pertain to pricier headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Gear VR, compatible with mobile phones, can be purchased for under $100, spurring consumers to give the technology a try and assuaging sticker shock that comes part and parcel with the $800 Vive and $600 Rift.

In related news, Sony said that early sales of PlayStation VR for PS4 "are on track" during an investors meeting held in November.

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.