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Huawei unveils Gear VR-style headset for the P9

Huawei unveils Gear VR-style headset for the P9

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Huawei is getting into VR. It's introducing a virtual reality headset, called Huawei VR, that works with its new flagship smartphone, the P9. It's pretty much identical to how Samsung's Gear VR works: you insert a phone into the front of it, strap it on, and you've got a basic but functional VR headset. Engadget reports that Huawei will sell versions that work with both sizes of the P9 and with the Mate 8.

Huawei is targeting China

While the Huawei VR is very much doing the exact same thing that the Gear VR does, the two aren't necessarily going head-to-head. Huawei is going after the Chinese market, whereas Samsung — in partnership with Oculus — is targeting the US, Europe, and South Korea first. Pricing and availability weren't announced for the Huawei VR, so it's unclear if it'll even be available outside of China.

The Huawei VR will come with 4,000 videos and 40 games that you can watch and play for free, according to Engadget. It'll also include a few hundred panoramic images and tours. It's not stated where the content is coming from or what content sources owners will be able to access, so there are certainly still some big questions left about how this headset will actually compare to something like the Gear VR, which has developers on board making games for it.

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