Samsung just concluded its Galaxy Unpacked July 2024 event, held in Paris, where it launched a collection of devices ranging from the Galaxy Z Fold 6 to the Galaxy Z Flip 6, the Galaxy Ring, and the Galaxy Watch Ultra. But there is one device that everybody was waiting for and which didn’t make it to the stage the so-called Samsung XR headset.
The event did see Samsung surprise everybody for the most part with what is claimed to be an announcement for a new XR platform—due later this year. Formerly rumored to arrive in mid-2025, this shoves the release window back by half a year and begins to get very interesting for tech fans.
The next-generation Samsung XR headset will make its market, getting viral among people compared to the Apple Vision Pro, it’s designed for seamless VR/AR integration with ultra-high-resolution displays to give closer-than-life visuals.
But what will really set the two apart is that, while Apple’s Vision Pro lacks gaming controllers, supporting just hand-tracking for now, Samsung plans on its XR headset shipping with gaming controllers. That move places Samsung’s offering as versatile for entertainment and productivity.
While not focused exclusively on gaming, like the Meta Quest 3, Samsung’s XR headset is said to support Android XR for broad app support. It will thus have full access to the Google Play Store, so users can expect a library of apps on launch day.
The announcement is a part of Samsung’s entry into the mixed reality market, along with the demand to democratize advanced augmented reality and virtual reality technologies. It hopes to be affordability-rich and change how consumers use digital content with its Samsung XR headset.