Manufacturers usually use the global stage at Mobile World Congress to unveil their next range of smartphones but this year both HTC and Samsung announced new virtual reality headsets. While this may seem like a gimmicky announcement Peter Chou, HTC President said:

"Virtual reality will become a mainstream experience for general consumers."

Oculus Rift was one of the first VR headsets, and both Sony and Microsoft have previously announced their take on virtual reality at a consumer level. 

HTC Vive 

HTC are well respected and highly regarded in the mobile industry and have now paired up with gaming company Valve to produce the Vive. 

The Vive will have two 1200x1080 screens and will display 90 frames per second. The Vive is said to be a truly immersive VR experience, offering a higher refresh rate than its current competitors. 

During the launch event HTC said that users will be able to stand up and walk around the virtual spaces whilst wearing the Vive. 

 Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition

Sasmung unveiled two new smartphones and use that opportunity to also announce their next stab at the VR market. The Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition is powered by Oculus and is 15% smaller than their previous offering. 

Aside from being smaller, the new version of the Gear VR has USB compatibility which increases the usage time of the device. 

Samsung have said that the device has been designed for VR enthusiasts, developers and those looking to get in on the VR game early.