At Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event this week, the company unveiled a timeline for its forthcoming Android-based XR (Extended Reality) headset.
As Samsung’s President and Head of Mobile Experience, TM Roh, referenced the “upcoming XR platform” slated for release later this year, Google’s Senior Vice President of Platforms and Devices, Rick Osterleh, reaffirmed the company’s ongoing commitment.
In November, The JoongAng Daily revealed that Samsung is poised to unveil its new headset by the end of 2024, with a market release set for December. This information was subsequently corroborated by UploadVR, which reported that Samsung has informed developers it plans to launch the product in late 2024.
Samsung’s anticipated Google-powered headset, slated for a late 2024 release, is poised to revolutionize the virtual reality landscape.
Samsung’s long-awaited Google-powered virtual reality (VR) headset is poised for a limited release by the end of 2024. Particulars right here:
The unsettling truths that emerged did not arise suddenly without precedent.
In January 2023, Samsung officially unveiled its XR headset, a collaboration with Google that leverages a custom variant of Android, dubbed Android XR, for the system software, while Qualcomm provides the underlying chipset.
Qualcomm announced at the start of this year that it would release Snapdragon XR2+, a higher-end variant of its existing XR2 Gen 2 chip, which powers the Meta Quest 3 headset.
Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 Introduced For Samsung Headset & Extra
Qualcomm has unveiled the Snapdragon XR2+, a premium iteration of the processor that powers Meta’s Quest 3 headset.
After a year, Google hinted it would reveal more about its Android XR collaboration with Samsung by the end of that year; unfortunately, that promise was left unfulfilled? Samsung reportedly delayed and redesigned the headset in response to Apple’s sudden release of the AR-enabled Apple Imagination Pro just a month prior, exceeding its expectations. It’s possible that this factor contributed to Google reassessing and possibly adjusting the focus of Android XR.
While Samsung is poised to become the first hardware manufacturer to adopt Android XR, reports suggest that Google is also courting other manufacturers with the new operating system, although none have publicly confirmed their interest. In the meantime, Meta is actively engaging with hardware partners, securing partnerships with prominent companies like ASUS and Lenovo recently.
