Samsung on Wednesday unveiled its first mixed reality device, the Galaxy XR mixed reality headset, previously known as Project Moohan, or Samsung’s answer to the Vision Pro spatial computer that Apple recently upgraded with the M5 chip. While the Galaxy XR device looks a lot like the Apple-made headset, it retails for half the price. The Galaxy XR is available to preorder for $1,799.99 in the U.S. and Korea, and will ship to buyers on October 31. Early adopters can save up to $1,000 on the purchase with an Explorer Pack offer that includes one year of Google AI Pro, one year of YouTube Premium, one year of Adobe Project Pulsar, and NBA League Pass.
The Galaxy XR is only the first of a series of Android XR devices that Samsung plans to launch. The company said in a press release that it’s working on AI glasses, which will come at a later date, naming Warby Parker and Gentle Monster as the two eyewear makers it partnered with to make these devices. Google will also be involved in launching at least one of the two pairs of AI glasses in the future.
Samsung stressed that the Android XR platform that will power these mixed reality devices has been co-developed with Google and Qualcomm, and puts artificial intelligence at the core of the experience, including Galaxy XR features.
Gemini AI at the core
Android XR has Gemini AI integrated at the system level on the Galaxy XR, making the headset feel like “a new type of AI companion that helps [users] manage their tasks, delivering natural and intuitive interactions through voice, vision, and gesture,” instead of being a tool that only follows the user’s command. The multimodal AI can understand what the user sees and hears. Users can engage in conversations with Gemini while interacting with the technology. One example Samsung offered was using Circle to Search on the headset via pass-through mode. The Galaxy XR user can perform a circle gesture with the hand while the AI has access to the video of the real world. Gemini will initiate a search related to what’s in front of the user.
Other Gemini AI experiences on the Galaxy XR headset include using Google Maps with Gemini for navigation and seeing personalized suggestions while exploring maps in 3D. Gemini can also help with content discovery in YouTube and surface information about the videos users are watching. The headset also lets users turn 2D photos and videos into 3D experiences. Finally, the headset will support all Android apps that work on mobile phones and tablets.
Developers who want to bring new experiences to the mixed reality headset can use OpenXR, WebXR, and Unity to work on their creations, as Android XR is built on OpenXR standards.
The Galaxy XR hardware
When it comes to the actual hardware, the Galaxy XR headset looks a lot like the Apple Vision Pro, with Samsung highlighting its ergonomics. The company says the Galaxy XR (1.2 pounds) achieves “an optimal balance between lightweight design and robustness for daily use.” The frame distributes the weight across the forehead and the back of the head, and minimizes facial discomfort. The battery pack (0.66 pounds) is separate from the headset, connecting to it via a wire. The battery offers about two hours of battery life for general usage, and up to 2.5 hours for video streaming. The Galaxy XR will continue to work while the battery is plugged in to charge.
The headset’s light shield is detachable, so users can decide when to go for immersive Android XR experiences. Like the Vision Pro, the Galaxy XR supports lens inserts that have to be purchased separately. For video pass-through, the headset packs two high-resolution cameras. Six world-facing tracking cameras and four eye-tracking cameras let the Galaxy XR track the user’s hand gestures and eye movements, respectively. The external camera system can capture 3D photos and videos. The internal cameras support iris recognition for device unlock and app authentication. The Galaxy XR also features two 2-way speakers, six microphones, one depth sensor, and one flicker sensor.
Powering the Galaxy XR is the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip paired with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Unlike the Vision Pro, you can’t buy a Galaxy XR version with more storage on board. The two micro-OLED panels feature 3,552 x 3,840 resolution (or 27 million pixels, 95% DCI-P3 color, and refresh rates ranging from 60Hz to 90Hz, though the default is set at 72Hz). Connectivity-wise, the headset supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.
