What feels like a very long time ago Samsung and Google announced that they were going to work on an XR (Extended Reality) headset in collaboration with Qualcomm. Google recently unveiled Android XR — the OS that will power the headset — and Samsung showed off a prototype headset. But apparently this headset is a lot closer to being a consumer product than anyone thought.
Samsung is reportedly not only going to unveil the headset properly at Galaxy Unpacked but may also bring along prototypes that you can use. The headset that the company showed off last year alongside Android XR may very well be how the final product is going to look. Though I would have preferred a little more imagination — this looks very much like the Apple Vision Pro — I am excited nonetheless.
Project Moohan, as Samsung calls it, is supposed to be a direct competitor to Apple’s premium Mixed Reality headset that launched last year. Samsung’s headset will also run mostly in Mixed Reality mode instead of fully immersive Virtual Reality. Whether the headset is any good at it remains to be seen however.
Google Maps running on Android XR in Mixed Reality. | Image credit — Google
Samsung’s headset will have to tackle two main concerns that consumers have when it comes to XR hardware:
Comfort
And cost
In my opinion the biggest reason the Apple Vision Pro didn’t sell well was its price tag of $3,499. Even the most diehard XR enthusiasts will find it difficult to justify that purchase, especially considering how the headset doesn’t even support most VR games. Samsung desperately needs to find a middle ground when it comes to the cost or this headset is as good as dead before it even comes out.
Comfort is also very important because if a consumer can’t use your product for more than 30 minutes without wanting to stop then it’s going to be dead on arrival. Despite so much careful engineering, and the aforementioned insane price, the Vision Pro still got uncomfortable after a while.
The prototypes of Samsung’s headset at CES should make it quite clear if the company is truly making one of the best AR headsets of today or whether it will meet the same fate as the Vision Pro.
Create a free account and join our vibrant community
Register to enjoy the full PhoneArena experience. Here’s what you get with your PhoneArena account:
Abdullah loves smartphones, Virtual Reality, and audio gear. Though he covers a wide range of news his favorite is always when he gets to talk about the newest VR venture or when Apple sets the industry ablaze with another phenomenal release.
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: