Samsung and Google: New Milestone in the XR World

The collaboration of renowned brands on a product often indicates promising market prospects. Samsung and its long-term partners Google and Qualcomm are preparing to present Samsung's "Project Moohan." This involves an Extended Reality (XR) headset built on Google's new Android XR platform. The headset will be equipped with state-of-the-art displays, advanced passthrough capabilities, and intuitive, multimodal input, supported by Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2+ chipset. This joint venture aims to advance the XR ecosystem and signals a long-term perspective for XR technologies. Equipped with a range of Google applications optimized specifically for use with XR headsets, the device includes programs such as Gmail, Maps, Google TV, and YouTube. Google also plans to expand the support for additional apps from the Google Play Store for the XR platform. Although the price and exact release date have not yet been announced, the market launch is expected in 2025. Android XR is set to evolve into a versatile AI assistant supporting both headsets and smart glasses. Integration with Google's Gemini AI platform enables control without a controller via a conversation-based user interface and contextual perception. Google's effort to ensure native app compatibility for XR environments—such as immersive YouTube experiences—emphasizes the platform's potential for broad acceptance. Samsung and Google also showcased AR glasses with Google Maps navigation aids, indicating parallel advances in AR technology, although no set release schedule exists. Google's reentry into the AR market with Android XR marks a strategic shift from the earlier Google Glass initiative. The strategy for Android XR is three-pronged: engaging developers, leveraging Gemini's conversational capabilities, and building a device ecosystem where headsets and glasses fulfill complementary roles. This approach acknowledges the episodic nature of using XR devices and the importance of a consistent AI experience across various form factors. The XR market has yet to produce an economically successful product: Apple's Vision Pro records weak sales, while Meta's Reality Labs incurs financial losses despite aggressive pricing. Meta's commitment to democratizing mixed reality contrasts with Apple's high-price strategy, highlighting different market approaches.