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The Galaxy S7 might not be the most exciting thing Samsung unveils this month

Published Feb 1st, 2016 11:48AM EST
Galaxy S7 Accessories Gear 360
Image: VentureBeat

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The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge will be Samsung’s 2016 flagship smartphones. Set to be unveiled during a special event in Barcelona, Spain, later this month, the two phones have appeared in a number of leaks, most of which detailed the specs and features of the phone. More recently, a report revealed what looks like the actual press renders of the handsets.

Now, a new rumor suggests the Galaxy S7 will debut alongside an awesome accessory that might be even more exciting than the phone itself.

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Dubbed Gear 360, according to SamMobile, the accessory will seemingly be a virtual reality camera will let anyone record the kind of 360-degree video experiences that can be then enjoyed on a galaxy phone when combined with a Gear VR headset.

The Gear 360 is a compact spherical camera that can capture 360-degree imagery using two 180-degree fish eye lenses. The camera can connect to a phone via Bluetooth and has a special Gear 360 Connect application. The camera should work with other devices, but the tech site can only confirm Galaxy S7 compatibility for the time being.

Samsung’s upcoming Gear 360 has its own battery and packs its own onboard storage, which should come in handy when recording 360 videos. The accompanying application also contains a Gear 360 Gallery feature and a separate remote viewfinder application that comes with various camera features. The user can switch between using both lenses or just one of them when shooting from the app.

Maximum resolution is set at 3840 x 1920 in dual lens mode or 1920 x 1920 in single lens mode, according to the report.

Pricing details and availability dates for the Gear 360 haven’t yet been revealed, though Samsung should announce more details during its big press conference on February 21st. After all, its teaser video does include a Gear VR headset which seems to indicate VR might play a major role in this particular product announcement.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.