Microsoft added a Mixed Reality platform to the Windows 10 as part of the Fall Creators Update released in October last year. Responding to Microsoft’s mainstream push into AR and VR, many PC OEMs launched Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) headsets towards the end of last year. Samsung also joined the party with its Odyssey headset and motion controllers.
Though not a major PC maker, Samsung’s WMR headset was the best of the available lot last year and received praise from many reviewers. Unfortunately, the Windows Mixed Reality platform hasn’t really taken off and all the MR headsets, including Samsung’s Odyssey, remained mostly a niche in the market. Nevertheless, Samsung seems to be interested in giving the platform another try by launching a successor to the last year’s Odyssey headset.
Samsung Odyssey+ inches closer to launch
The new model was first spotted last month on the FCC website, where the Odyssey+ name and specifications were revealed. The same headset has now received 3C certification (Chinese approval) as well, indicating an imminent launch. It carries the model number XE800ZBA, which lines up as a successor to the last year’s XE800ZAA model.
The 3C certification doesn’t reveal any other significant information about the headset, but that shouldn’t be an issue as the FCC filing disclosed almost everything about the new device. The FCC documents showed that the Odyssey+ would be mostly similar to the previous version, barring a few minor design changes to make it more comfortable to wear. The only significant change in the spec sheet seems to be the mentioning of AMOLED+SFS as the display type.
We don’t know when Samsung is planning to launch the new WMR headset, but it would be a safe bet to say the company will probably target the holiday quarter. Microsoft has an event scheduled for October 2 where the company might offer some information about its latest Windows Mixed Reality efforts and new partner devices like the Odyssey+.
