Samsung will reportedly launch a mixed-reality headset in 2023, ahead of Apple’s headset launch in the same year. It appears Samsung is keen to keep in step with its key competitor in the mobile market and the company now looks set to gain some foothold in a fledgling market that is poised to grow exponentially following Apple’s involvement.

The report by South Korean news portal Naver News says Samsung has designated a special task force that is working on the mixed reality device. Also involved in the project are some of Samsung’s subsidiaries including Samsung Display and Samsung Electro-Mechanics. Some of Samsung’s key suppliers are also involved.

Samsung Could Launch a Mixed Reality Headset in 2023
Samsung Could Launch a Mixed Reality Headset in 2023

The Naver reports that Samsung has already concluded a number of headset prototypes and it is currently testing samples. A number of Chinese companies are also working on the development and manufacturing of the Samsung XR device.

According to the report, Samsung’s strategy is to develop a Samsung-centric XR ecosystem, the course Meta has been pursuing for years now. Samsung’s foray into XR is supposedly in response to Apple’s expected market entry in 2023. The news portal reports that Samsung is currently initiating partnerships with companies across the globe for the headset project.

The report says the Samsung XR device is primarily aimed at developers and that it will be followed with a corresponding software development kit (SDK). Samsung is reportedly intent on creating “killer content” in its XR ecosystem that will span different fields including healthcare, entertainment, defense, and education.

Samsung Has Previously Confirmed an XR Device

While rumors about the Apple headset have been circulating for quite some time, the company is yet to make an official announcement.

Timing predictions issued by leading industry analysts have consistently proved inaccurate. Apple boss Tim Cook has regularly spoken positively about augmented reality hardware although the company is yet to release any concrete information about its XR hardware plans.

The Apple device is reportedly a mixed reality headset much like the Meta Quest Pro headset that offers mixed reality functions via a color video passthrough. The Quest Pro headset films the actual physical environment around the user before streaming it to the headset’s display and augmenting it digitally. It is likely Samsung’s headset could take a similar route.

Reports early this year claimed that both Samsung and Microsoft were working together on the development of a mixed-reality device although the collaboration between the two tech giants eventually fell apart. Microsoft has now partnered with Meta to provide its Windows software to Quest headsets. The likelihood that Samsung might launch is own “Metaverse device” is very high. At this year’s Mobile World Congress Samsung boss Han Jong-hee stated that Samsung was “working hard” on such hardware.

Samsung Odyssey Plus
Samsung Odyssey Plus

This would mark Samsung’s re-entry into a market where it was one of the pioneers and where it was eventually edged out by the likes of Meta. In the early years of AR and VR, Samsung had the Samsung Gear VR headset and even joined in on Microsoft’s now-flopped mixed reality platform with its Samsung Odyssey PC VR headset. Besides, the re-entry of Samsung into the market means we will now have a major third tech player, alongside Meta and Apple.

https://virtualrealitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Samsung-Could-Launch-a-Mixed-Reality-Headset-in-2023-600x448.pnghttps://virtualrealitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Samsung-Could-Launch-a-Mixed-Reality-Headset-in-2023-150x90.pngRob GrantBusinessSamsung will reportedly launch a mixed-reality headset in 2023, ahead of Apple’s headset launch in the same year. It appears Samsung is keen to keep in step with its key competitor in the mobile market and the company now looks set to gain some foothold in a fledgling market...VR, Oculus Rift, and Metaverse News - Cryptocurrency, Adult, Sex, Porn, XXX