Samsung Gear VR free with Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge pre-orders for limited time

Samsung has announced that it is offering its Gear VR headsets for free for users who pre-order either Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge models. The Gear VR headset, which was launched in 2015, is compatible with the new models that Samsung launched at the MWC on 21 February.

Samsung's Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge will go on sale in stores from 11 March. As part of a promotional campaign, the South Korean tech giant is offering the company's Oculus-powered virtual reality headset, the Gear VR, completely free of cost to those who pre-order between 23 February and 18 March.

The offer will be hard to pass by for VR enthusiasts, especially given that Samsung is also throwing in a six-game bundle to make the VR experience more enriching for prospective consumers. The total estimated value of the offer comes up to around $150 (£105), according to Samsung. Best Buy is sweetening the deal by pitching in a 64GB memory card, Cnet reported.

Samsung's promotional offer is reflective of its intentions to gain a foothold in the VR market. In offering its users more affordable VR wearables, the tech firm has stepped up from its competitors in efforts to establish itself as the lead VR wearables provider. With much disappointment over the Oculus Rift VR headsets' $600 price tag, VR enthusiasts are sure to breathe a sigh of relief at Samsung's cleverly-designed campaign.

VR clearly was Samsung's secret surprise at the MWC this year, even with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg making an appearance to talk about the importance of VR in future social interactions. With leading tech giants like Google, Facebook and Samsung vying for the lead spot in the VR market, there is every likelihood that VR wearables will only become more affordable and popular in time.