Samsung gave Android XR barely 5 seconds of screen time at Unpacked, but it still proved why it'll succeed where Apple failed

Date:
Wed, 22 Jan 2025 19:58:51 +0000

Description:
In an interview with Bloomberg Samsung showed me why it'll succeed where others haven't with XR.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Samsung teased Project Moohan AI capabilities at Galaxy Unpacked It also announced exclusive software from third-party app creators The presentation was light
on the details

Samsung took a few moments literal seconds out of its Samsung Galaxy S25 launch event to talk about Project Moohan (its upcoming VR headset) and Android XR , and how the platform will leverage multimodal AI to bring
awesome (but currently nebulous) upgrades to XR systems. Thankfully it had more to say in a separate interview with TM Roh, the president of Samsungs Mobile Experience division, including one detail which makes me believe Samsungs tech wont crash and burn like the Apple Vision Pro .

Out the gate we have some bad news courtesy of the interview conducted by Bloomberg (behind a paywall): we still dont have a release date for Samsungs headset or AR glasses. Roh did reaffirm the consumer version of Moohan is coming this year, though he didnt reveal precisely when, or how much itll
cost at launch. He also added that Samsung is working on AR glasses though again, he refused to elaborate on when they might launch, just that they
would arrive eventually once they reach the quality and readiness Samsung wants (which Roh hopes is as soon as possible).

However, the good news is that Samsung and its partner Google seem to have understood their core focus shouldnt just be hardware, but software too. An important lesson learned

Roh reportedly said that one key part of launching the XR devices will be having enough exclusive, original, worthwhile content ready for launch. To achieve this goal Samsung and Google are apparently working with
third-parties to develop XR software for Android.

Thank goodness. Samsung is learning from Apple's Mistakes (Image credit: Surreal Interactive)

Im not the only one to say this, but a huge issue with the Apple Vision Pros launch wasnt intrinsically that it cost $3,500 / 3,499 / AU$5,999, it was
that it didnt justify costing $3,500 / 3,499 / AU$5,999. Sure, it boasted incredible specs, but fundamentally it couldnt do anything you couldnt just
do with a Mac or iPad and a Meta Quest 3 pairings that would cost you significantly less. And it could do less than either of those pairings in
some ways, because the Quest platform is brimming with exclusive software.

Apple had a couple of impressive exclusives, like its Disney Plus 3D content
, but nowhere near enough to compete with the market at the price it
attempted to demand. Thats why a year on from its release it just hasnt had the staying power anyone hoped it might.

TM Rohs comments at least show Samsung is aware of the importance of
software, though given how badly people have been burned previously by other brands, Im hesitant to take the comments at face value not until we can see and try the software hes teasing. Dont get me wrong, Im desperate for Samsung to succeed so Meta can face some proper competition right now, the closest thing we have to a Quest-killer is the rumored Asus Tarius headset (which
uses the Quests operating system because its a collab between Asus and Meta) but until Samsung and Google show us the goods Ill remain cautiously optimistic.

For now, well have to make do with Samsung talking the talk, and wait and see if it can walk the walk when it shows us what Project Moohan has in store for us later in 2025. You might also like Meta working on 3 new smart glasses including AR specs due in 2027 Meta announces major Quest 3 home theater update This haptic vest might be my new favorite Meta Quest 3 accessory



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/virtual-reality-augmented-reality/samsung- gave-android-xr-barely-5-seconds-of-screen-time-at-unpacked-but-it-still-prove d-why-itll-succeed-where-apple-failed


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