March 2017 - AccuWeather, the global leader in weather information and digital media, announced the launch of the new virtual reality application, AccuWeather - Weather for Life for Samsung Gear VR, allowing users to experience and interact with exclusive 360-degree video content, weather information, and updates in revolutionary new ways. The new app gives users an additional platform to access the most personalised, localised weather information with Superior Accuracyâ„¢ from AccuWeather, available worldwide through award-winning AccuWeather apps, free wired and mobile Internet sites via AccuWeather.com, connected TVs, wearables, smart homes, connected cars, and more.

Through the unique and immersive VR app experience, users are not simply watching, but are in the middle of the action. Users can experience this next level of virtual reality by following a few simple steps: First, users will install the Oculus app to their compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphone and create an account, accessing the store through Oculus App. Next, users will download the AccuWeather - Weather for Life app. The latest compatible Galaxy smartphones are Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy Note5, Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S6, and Galaxy S6 edge. Finally, users will snap their smartphone into the portable and wireless Gear VR headset so they can view their screen and begin the virtual experience.

Once in the AccuWeather app, users gain access to exclusive AccuWeather 360-degree videos for severe weather events, including the extreme close up viral video of a tornado in Wray, Colorado that had nearly 1.5 mn views on YouTube. A new assortment of videos will be added weekly to refresh the user's experience. The immersive videos give AccuWeather viewers a new and unique perspective on weather events that can be both exciting and educational.

AccuWeather also provides users with current conditions and daily and hourly forecasts including wind speed, dew point, wind direction, and precipitation, plus severe weather alerts and warnings, RealFeel® Temperatures, and AccuWeather's proprietary minute-by-minute precipitation forecast AccuWeather MinuteCast® for users' exact locations. Users can uniquely experience an array of dynamic weather conditions in real-time, immersing themselves in an array of weather animations like stormy rain, snow, thunderstorms, and clouds, all which can be accessed either through a secret weather feature called WeatherScape or experienced in the daily forecasts.

"AccuWeather is excited to partner with Samsung on the launch of the AccuWeather - Weather for Life app for Gear VR, bringing users the most accurate, most innovative weather forecasts and information available worldwide," said Steven Smith, President of Digital Media at AccuWeather. "The app is interactive and easy for users to access immersive 360-degree video content and weather forecasts, all with the Superior Accuracy from AccuWeather they rely on, experiencing weather in revolutionary new ways."

AccuWeather and Samsung have collaborated to bring Samsung users the world's most accurate weather news and information through a wide range of Samsung's best-selling devices, including the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, Samsung Gear VR, and more. Users receive accurate and localised forecasts with current conditions and hour-by-hour forecasts for locations worldwide.