The Olympics will be shown in VR, but only on Samsung headsets

NBC began outlining its plans for broadcasting Rio 2016 (July 05, 2016), but a few more juicy tidbits have now filtered through. The AP (via ABC News) is reporting that around 85 hours of programming will be available to watch in VR, but only if you use Samsung’s Gear VR. The brief report claims that the opening and closing ceremonies will get the 360-degree treatment, as will the men’s basketball, gymnastics and track and field. Details beyond that brief outline are sketchy, although it’s interesting that the footage is provided by a unit of the International Olympic Committee rather than the usual suspects, like NextVR. All of the content will be available on the NBC Sports app, assuming that you’ve got a Gear VR-compatible smartphone, of course.