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A new Samsung XR/VR headset, developed with Google and running Android in some form, is definitely in the works – and we may now have a better idea of when exactly we’ll be able to get our hands on (and head in) one.
According to sources speaking to Business Insider (via 9to5Google), a developer version of the device will be released in October. The headset will then be made available to anyone who wants to buy one in March 2025.
Samsung has previously said there will be news in the XR category before the end of 2024, but this is the first time we’ve heard about specific months. But as always with rumors, nothing is certain until it’s official.
A Samsung developer conference is actually scheduled for Thursday, October 3. That could well be when the first version of the headset is distributed to developers, so they can start working on apps ready to launch in 2025.
The rumors continue
While there’s still a lot of uncertainty about what Google and Samsung are working on, the term XR – for Extended Reality – is used to cover virtual reality (closed virtual worlds), augmented reality (digital elements on top of the real world), and mixed reality (virtual elements that can be designed to interact with or integrate with the real world).
Not all companies use these terms consistently, which can be confusing for consumers. According to Business Insider’s report, the upcoming headset has been delayed multiple times as the technology is refined.
Google engineers now appear to be focusing on Android XR, which will power the upcoming headset and other devices. Google reportedly tried to convince Meta to use the platform for its own mixed reality headsets, but was turned down.
Rumors had suggested that Google had scrapped plans for a pair of AR glasses (similar to the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses), but then we saw some smart glasses demos in Google’s Project Astra AI showcase – so it’s possible that there are several different types of devices in the works right now.