Samsung Embraces Virtual Reality

To revive interest in smartphones, Samsung and LG are improving their cameras and embracing the nascent world of virtual reality.

And Samsung is being backed by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, who said Sunday the companies are teaming up to push VR in mobile phones and social networking.

“Together this is by far the best mobile VR experience you can offer,” Zuckerberg said at Samsung’s unveiling of their new flagship phones in Barcelona.

Samsung’s new Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge promise better photos under low-light conditions, in part with sensors that capture more light. The main camera on LG’s upcoming G5 smartphone will have two lenses - one for standard shots and another with a wider angle so you can capture more of what’s in front of you without having to step back.

Both companies will also release several camera-related accessories. Samsung, which unveiled a virtual-reality device for consumers last fall, will now make a 360-degree camera for everyday folks to capture and share VR images. The company will also make smartphone cases with a hole to screw in special lenses, such as wide angle and fisheye views.

LG will have its own VR headset - a lighter version of Samsung’s Gear VR - as well as a smartphone attachment that functions as a camera grip with physical buttons to take shots and control video recording. The attachment is part of LG’s new modular approach to design; you’ll be able to pop out the phone’s bottom and swap in new hardware features.

The announcements at the Mobile World Congress wireless show in Barcelona, Spain, come as worldwide smartphone growth has slowed, particularly for high-end devices such as Samsung’s S and LG’s G series. Many consumers have turned to lower-cost Android devices that sport features considered top of the line just a few years ago.