One of the most overlooked aspects of the emerging virtual reality space is its ability to bring people who are located many miles apart together in one virtual space.

Part of the problem is that most of the VR out there is focused on passive viewing experiences or gaming. But a new app from Samsung called Bedtime VR Stories offers ta prime example of how VR can be a tool to connect with someone across long distances.

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The app allows a parent to meet their child in VR to tell them a bedtime story using a combination of VR and VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). Each story takes about six to seven minutes, and only requires a Samsung Gear VR and smartphone for the parent and a special cardboard viewer for the child.

The demonstration video shows just how compelling the experience can be for both the child and the parent, and yet another video allows you to sample in first person what both viewers see when a story is being told.

As many households have increasingly become dominated by two parents who work outside the home, spending quality time with your children is more of a challenge than ever, making this VR tool an ideal solution for connecting with family.

However, for now, the tool is still in development and has yet to be officially launched. But when it does launch, it could give many parents a very strong reason to pick up both a Samsung smartphone and the Gear VR headset, as nothing like this appears to be available for the iPhone yet.