At Samsung Unpacked, the company launched its latest projects, including the Galaxy Ring, Galaxy Watch UltraThe next generation Galaxy Z Seriesand much more. At least one other highly anticipated product was missing: a Samsung XR headset.
While an AR/VR headset didn’t make an official appearance at today’s Unpacked event, a few subtle and easy-to-miss mentions of the headset were incorporated into the keynote, reminding the audience that a headset is still in development.
Also read: What you missed at Samsung Unpacked July 2024: Galaxy Z Fold 6, Watch Ultra, Ring, AI, and more
Towards the end of the event, Rick Osterloh, Google’s senior vice president of platforms and devices, took the stage and highlighted Google’s collaboration with Samsung and Qualcomm to make the headset a reality.
“Moving forward, we will collaborate to bring next-generation experiences across Galaxy products, from smartphones and wearables to future technologies like the upcoming XR platform that we have worked closely to develop in partnership with Samsung and Qualcomm,” Osterloh said.
Following Osterloh’s departure, Samsung’s mobile division president TM Roh mentioned that “a new XR platform is coming later this year.”
Roh’s comment aligns with industry analysts who have predicted the Samsung XR headset will launch in late 2024. Samsung first announced its partnership with Qualcomm and Google at its Unpacked event in February 2023, but hasn’t said much since.
Also: Here are the best new AI features coming to Samsung’s foldable Galaxy phones
Reports have suggested that one factor contributing to the wait is Samsung’s desire to release a device that can rival the impressive specs of the Apple Vision Pro, which is set to be unveiled in June 2023. For example, Samsung has ordered higher-resolution displays to match the 4K screens in each eye of the Apple Vision Pro, according to a South Korean report. report.
Samsung had previously hinted that its headset announcement was “not that far off.” But that future remains distant, so I’d advise taking Roh’s “later this year” remark with a grain of salt.