As the world eagerly anticipates Samsung’s XR headset, rumors suggest that the device will be available to developers in October 2024. However, the public launch may be delayed until 2025. During the Galaxy Unpacked event, TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile Experience Business at Samsung Electronics, mentioned that the XR headset would be "coming this year."
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The Samsung XR headset is being developed in partnership with Google. The South Korean tech giant announced during the Galaxy Unpacked event that a VR headset is slated to arrive later this year. However, according to a recent report by Business Insider, only the developer version will be released this year, with the consumer launch anticipated by March 2025. Additionally, Samsung is tipped to introduce an early version of its XR headset, codenamed "Moohan."
The device is expected to feature a micro-OLED display, which could offer high resolution and better color accuracy. The XR headset might include eight tracking cameras and a Time-of-Flight sensor. It will support hand and eye tracking, potentially making it the first XR headset to incorporate AI features. There has been speculation that Samsung will use an upgraded Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip from Qualcomm. This chip is expected to be slightly more advanced than the one in the Meta Quest 3. The XR headset may run on a form of Android firmware, with Google lending a hand on the operating system side of things due to their collaboration.
Initially, when Google, Samsung, and Qualcomm joined forces in 2023, it was speculated that an XR headset would be revealed by the end of the year. However, delays occurred, possibly due to the release of the Apple Vision Pro headset. The official release date was moved back throughout the year, as reported by tech analyst @OreXda. Other speculations suggest that Samsung might have faced construction and supply issues, causing partners to focus their attention elsewhere.
As the developer version of Samsung’s XR headset is anticipated in October 2024, developers will have early access to test and optimize their applications for the new platform. The consumer version, expected by March 2025, aims to offer advanced XR experiences with high-quality visuals, tracking capabilities, and AI integration. This development marks a significant step in Samsung’s efforts to compete in the rapidly evolving XR market, positioning itself alongside other major players like Meta and Apple. Overall, Samsung’s XR headset development showcases its commitment to innovation and collaboration with key partners like Google and Qualcomm, aiming to deliver cutting-edge technology to both developers and consumers.