Google reveals the first apps that will work on the Samsung Galaxy XR headset
A new section has appeared on the Play Store, promoting “immersive experiences made for your XR headset.” The page was spotted by Reddit user Important-Goal-8388, and it reveals the first apps and games that will be available for Android XR.
The XR apps on the Play Store. | Image credit – Important-Goal-8388 on Reddit
Among the software on the page were Asteroid, Vacation Simulator, Naver CHZZK XR, and NFL Pro Era. The apps are grouped in a separate section inside the Play Store that appears to promote live sports apps and immersive XR experiences.
The popular app Virtual Desktop has also been released on Google Play. That’s one of the leading apps allowing people to connect wirelessly to their computer and watch movies, or play PCVR games. The existence of that app suggests that Android XR will support advanced use cases out of the gate.
Android XR is coming in a few days
The device, which is likely called Galaxy XR, will feature the two-year-old Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset and high-res micro-OLED panels. The device will directly clash with the Apple Vision Pro, which just got a new version with the M5 chipset. However, Apple’s headset starts at $3.499 and it’s quite heavy, which could help Samsung offer a more compelling device.
Back to the future, I guess
I like that the Apple Vision Pro will finally meet a proper competitor, but I’m not sure it would matter all that much. The so-called mixed reality headsets are still niche devices with very few use cases, and the prohibitively high prices won’t help them turn mainstream. I’m still excited to see what Samsung has to offer, but I doubt I’d ever buy a Galaxy XR.
“Iconic Phones” is coming this Fall!
