Samsung mobile virtual reality headset coming in December

Samsung has announced it will make its mobile virtual reality headset available in December.

The "Gear VR Innovator edition", previewed in September, uses a Galaxy Note 4 phablet to power immersive 360 degree experiences.

The head-mounted device is a partnership with Facebook-owned Oculus VR, which is also developing its own PC-tethered headset, the Oculus Rift.

The Gear VR has a controller for games, but will not be able to fully reproduce the high-end graphical fidelity of dedicated computers.

Samsung also used its second annual Developer Conference in San Francisco to announce 'Project Beyond', a 360 degree camera which can stream live video remotely to the Gear VR headset - a step up from today's virtual reality experiences which use pre-rendered video or graphics.

But some analysts have questioned whether the Gear VR itself will ignite the virtual reality market. The device itself is priced at $199, and it is only compatible with the Galaxy Note 4 - a high-end handset aimed at business users.

The BBC's North America technology correspondent Richard Taylor tried out the new contraption.

You can follow Richard on Twitter @RichTaylorBBC.