Samsung making stand-alone smartwatch, Oculus Rift rival, reports say

A stand-alone smart watch and a virtual-reality headset: Samsung is reportedly getting ready to introduce both.

The South Korean tech giant is in talks with telecom carriers in the U.S., South Korea and Europe about a smartwatch that can make and receive phone calls without having to be connected to another device through Bluetooth, the Wall Street Journal said Friday, citing unnamed sources.

Samsung hopes to unveil the gadget in June or July, the report said. The device would also be able to take pictures and send email, and it would include a GPS chip and a heart monitor. The Journal said the device would run on Samsung’s Tizen operating system.

Since last fall, the tech company has released three smartwatches and a fitness tracker, but each of those devices must be tethered to a Samsung phone or tablet to work.

According to Engadget, Samsung is also working on a virtual-reality headset to rival Sony’s Project Morpheus and the Oculus Rift, made by a startup Facebook is in the process of acquiring for $2 billion. The device would immerse its user into Android video games. The headset would connect to Samsung’s phones and tablets.

The company plans to announce it later this year, Engadget said, intending to beat Sony and Facebook to market.

Samsung said it does not comment on rumors and speculation.