Samsung VR Gear and Zuckerberg Steals The Show At MWC 2016 Barcelona

The ongoing MWC 2016 at Barcelona was thrilled and amazed by the glamourous launch presentation of Samsung VR Gear by Mark Zuckerberg. For a conference that has traditionally been about mobile networks and phones, virtual reality had stolen the show. During the launching of Galaxy S7, journalists were invited to watch a virtual reality demo using Samsung's Gear VR headsets, and when the time came to remove them, there was Mark Zuckerberg standing in the middle of the stage, wearing his familiar gray T-shirt. Facebook chief Zuckerberg joined Samsung mobile president DJ Koh on stage to reaffirm Samsung and Facebook’s partnership on virtual reality.

Facebook, which owns virtual reality company Oculus, is ramping up its investment in the technology – and its interest in bring VR to its network. Zuckerberg says VR will be "the most social platform", and that its uptake will be driven by consumers themselves as they swap still selfies​ for immersive​ video. "I think about my baby daughter and the way I want to remember her when she takes her first steps," Zuckerberg told a rapt audience during a Samsung press event. "I want to capture the whole scene … That way, even if my parents and my family aren't there to experience it in person, they can feel like they're right there with us."

360-degree video viewing – which can be experienced on a normal screen by clicking and dragging video around in its frame, or as a fully immersive​ experience through a VR headset – has been available on Facebook since last year, as it has on YouTube. With social platforms now backing the trend, the tools to create, share and view VR content will increasingly be in the hands of consumers in coming months.

“Pretty soon we’re going to live in a world where everyone has the power to share and experience whole scenes as if you’re just there, right there in person,” said Zuckerberg. “Imagine being able to sit in front of a campfire and hang out with friends anytime you want. Or being able to watch a movie in a private theatre with your friends anytime you want. Imagine holding a group meeting or event anywhere in the world that you want. All these things are going to be possible. And that’s why Facebook is investing so much early on in virtual reality. So we can hope to deliver these types of social experiences,” added the Facebook founder.