The company stressed that it will now focus on a comprehensive design review of the XR product and review its launch schedule. Industry experts point out that the delay is a strategic move by Samsung in light of Apple’s latest proposal.

The concept of augmented reality encompasses the integration of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) technologies. Samsung originally planned to start sample development in late 2023 and mass production early next year. However, industry sources now suggest that deadlines will be delayed by a quarter or two.

Samsung wants to make a worthy competitor to the Vision Pro

Insiders familiar with the matter said Samsung’s decision was driven by Apple’s desire to create an XR headset that matches the specifications of mixed reality technology, specifically the Vision Pro MR headset. The company aims to redefine all aspects of the product, including design, specifications and performance.

• Samsung Electronics previously partnered with VR company Oculus, which was acquired by Meta (formerly Facebook) in 2014 to produce the Gear VR model.
• Subsequently, the Odyssey Plus model debuted in 2018. However, both devices have faced criticism regarding their performance.

It is worth noting that XR and similar technologies were still in the early stages of market development at that time. In addition, users expressed their dissatisfaction with the inconvenience of connecting smartphones to headphones.

While most details about Samsung’s XR model have not been revealed, sources say the product will be launched in collaboration with the Chinese company BOE. The headset is expected to be powered by a Qualcomm chipset and run on an operating system developed by Google.