Android 7.0 Beta for Samsung Galaxy phones breaks Gear VR

Early adopters who want to experience virtual reality through Samsung devices on Android 7.0 are out of luck. The latest beta version of Android 7.0 Nougat for Samsung’s Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge smartphones is incompatible with Samsung’s own Gear VR.

The Android 7.0 build has been rolling out to volunteers through Samsung’s Galaxy Beta Program since the beginning of this month. While it has brought improvements and optimizations, some users are saying their Gear VR headset is no longer working with their Galaxy phone. It’s assumed that the problem is due to the lack of Oculus Store support on Android 7.0, but this has yet to be confirmed.

It is somewhat surprising that Samsung built a beta version of the Android operating system that doesn’t work on their own hardware. The Gear VR is made by Samsung and Oculus as an inexpensive way for people to experience virtual reality. Currently, the Gear VR is only compatible with certain Samsung phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge, and the Galaxy Note 7 (which is no longer available).

Samsung was quick to fix minor issues with app compatibility (such as Facebook) earlier this month, so an update to the beta will hopefully come soon.

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