Samsung to launch 'extended reality' headset next year

South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics has announced plans to release an "extended reality" (XR) headset, co-developed with Alphabet’s Google and Qualcomm, in global markets next year.

The XR headset, categorized as a wearable device, will run on Google's new Android XR platform—a version of Android specifically designed for extended reality—developed in collaboration with Samsung.

"The XR headset is set to hit global markets sometime next year, but further details about the product are currently unavailable," a Samsung spokesperson told Yonhap news agency.

Extended reality encompasses virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) technologies.

Codenamed Project Moohan, derived from the Korean word for "infinity," the headset will feature Google’s Gemini chatbot for controlling apps through conversational commands and physical gestures. It will also incorporate Qualcomm's XR2 Gen 2 chip, optimized for mixed-reality devices.

Shahram Izadi, Google's Vice President of XR, stated that Android XR has been designed as an open, integrated platform for headsets and smart glasses with built-in display lenses.

Google is also planning to release smart glasses powered by Android XR, although a launch timeline has not been specified.

Samsung’s headset and Google's new operating system are expected to compete with Apple’s Vision Pro and Meta Platforms’ VR and smart glasses.

Separately, Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong reaffirmed the company’s dedication to advancing safe, innovative, and inclusive AI technologies during the AI Seoul Summit. "AI is not only transforming industrial innovation and economic growth but also reshaping how we live, work, and interact with the world," Lee said during a video conference at the summit’s leaders’ session.