Samsung to revamp its Galaxy XR headset to compete with Apple Vision Pro

Samsung is reportedly prepping to launch a revamped Galaxy XR headset that will lock horns with Apple's recently unveiled Vision Pro augmented reality headset. To those unaware, Apple announced its highly anticipated AR mixed reality headset last week.

Interestingly, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently indicated that the American tech giant could already be working on a Vision Pro successor. If rumours are anything to go by, Samsung also wants a share of this potentially lucrative market segment.

As part of a new strategy, the Korean brand could radically overhaul its upcoming Galaxy XR (extended/mixed reality) headset. Apparently, Samsung has gone back to the drawing board to redesign some elements of its Galaxy XR headset following the launch of Apple's Vision Pro.

Samsung goes back to the drawing board

This shred of information aligns with an earlier report that indicated the company is working on Exynos chips for XR devices. This is a major sign that Samsung has been planning to make its foray into the rapidly growing AR/VR market for a while now.

According to past leaks, a Samsung display with 2,000 PPI (pixel per inch) density was in the works for the company's mixed reality headset. However, Samsung reportedly changed its plan after Apple took the wraps off its Vision Pro headset. Apple says its new headset sports two Micro OLED displays with a whopping 23 million MP (megapixels).

DSCC (Display Supply Chain Consultants) claims 23 million MP translates roughly to a pixel density of 3400 PPI. Samsung is reportedly planning to upgrade the display of the Galaxy XR to 3,000 PPI in a bid to compete with Apple, according to noted tipster Connor (@OreXda). Furthermore, the tipster claims Samsung's purported display will enter the production stage in November.

Equipping its headset with a new display could turn out to be an arduous task for Samsung. So, it is safe to assume that the launch of this headset will be delayed. In fact, equally reliable leaker Revegnus (@Tech_Reve) believes Samsung will not be able to launch the Galaxy XR before the end of 2023.

Revegnus attributes the delayed launch to Samsung's decision to start manufacturing so late in the year. If this speculation turns out to be true, Samsung's Galaxy XR could launch just ahead of the Apple Vision Pro, which isn't likely to hit store shelves until 2024.

Samsung Galaxy XR headset: What to expect?

During its February 2023 Unpacked showcase, Samsung announced that it will be teaming up with Google and Qualcomm to make a new mixed-reality platform. Regrettably, details about this project are still few and far between. However, a report by Tom's Guide suggests Microsoft, Google, and Qualcomm's ambitions are larger than VR.

At the showcase, the tech behemoths talked about developing a platform that supports mixed reality, virtual reality, and augmented reality. In other words, VR is just one aspect of the wearable segment that these companies are working on. Samsung can give Apple a run for its money provided the Korean company comes up with a powerful headset that doesn't cost a bomb.

It is worth noting that Apple's Vision Pro carries a steep price tag of $3,499 (about £2,769.07), making it the most expensive mainstream headset available on the market. The Meta Quest 2, on the other hand, is a sufficiently good VR headset that won't burn a hole in your pocket.

Despite riding high on the success of its original VR headset, Meta has struggled when it came to selling its more expensive Meta Quest Pro, which is a third of the price of the Vision Pro. So, there is a possibility that the more expensive Vision Pro will not be able to gain popularity among budget-conscious consumers. It will be interesting to see whether Samsung will target these financially savvy consumers.