What you need to know
- At Galaxy Unpacked 2024, Samsung confirmed that the new Google XR platform is coming later this year.
- Google is expected to launch a new version of Android, likely called Android XR, specifically for future AR and VR devices.
- It’s expected that Samsung’s upcoming XR headset will be the first device to run this new version of Android.
Samsung just ended their Galaxy Unpacked July 2024 event in Paris, and while they had a lot to say about the Galaxy Ring, Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip 6, and Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Samsung XR headset didn’t make an official appearance.
But Samsung announced on stage that “a new XR platform is coming later this year.” Everything we know about the Samsung XR headset so far said that the headset wouldn’t be debuting until sometime in early to mid-2025, making this announcement a pleasant surprise.
Samsung’s upcoming XR headset is thought to be a more affordable competitor to the Apple Vision Pro, bridging the gap between a VR headset and a pair of AR glasses by offering mixed reality vision paired with ultra-high-resolution displays.
Aside from having a lower price, we’re expecting Samsung to launch its headset with a pair of gaming controllers. Apple doesn’t make or support tracked controllers on Vision Pro and only allows for hand tracking right now, although some enthusiasts have rigged up a way to play PCVR games with Valve Index controllers on an Apple Vision Pro using third-party hardware.
Samsung’s headset isn’t rumored to have a heavy gaming focus the way the Meta Quest 3 does but it’s expected that Android XR will support gaming. We’re also expecting full Google Play Store access on Samsung’s headset, meaning hundreds of thousands of apps available on day one.
