Samsung Internet for Gear VR updated with custom backgrounds

Browsing the Internet through a VR headset is probably the most immersive way to experience web content. Now Samsung tries to make it even more engaging with some new additions to Samsung Internet for Gear VR.

The latest update features the option to apply a custom background to display behind your browser. According to Samsung this will allow for greater immersion in the VR browsing experience, since users will be able to choose an image that best fits their preference. However, for now users will be limited to choosing from a collection, curated by Samsung. This comes after the introduction of the Skybox feature, which allowed individual web sites to set their own VR background with 360° images.

This new update follows much more significant ones, such as the addition of WebVR support, which allowed users to view 360° content straight from a web page, rather than through a third-party app. Another major feature that was added earlier is the seamless integration with Samsung Internet for Android. This means that your browsing data is exactly the same both in VR, and while browsing the old-fashioned way. This includes video history, bookmarks, browsing history and much more.

While not a lot of people currently own a VR headset, the technology sure gained some traction the past couple of years. We can't help but to wonder if browsing the web in virtual reality will soon become the new standard, and we welcome your opinion on the matter in the comments.