Samsung's next-gen mixed-reality solution might take the shape of glasses rather than a bulky headset. It's an ambitious project co-developed by Samsung, Google, and Qualcomm, but it might not be ready for prime time next month at Galaxy Unpacked.
New reports say that Samsung will unveil its XR “prototype” at its next big launch event early next year. There, the Galaxy S25 series will take the stage, but Samsung's XR glasses won't.
Instead, recent reports from the Korean media state that Samsung will officially introduce its XR device through a presentation video or, more disappointingly, a render.
In other words, the final product won't hit the stage, but a prototype of sorts will be glossed over. This material will try to sell Samsung fans on the XR concept and the company's vision for a new type of mixed-reality wearable. Even so, whatever we'll see at Unpacked might not be the final product but a prototype.
Apple may have messed with Samsung's original plans
Samsung first announced its intentions to co-develop a new XR solution in partnership with Google and Qualcomm at the first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2023. Nearly two years have passed since, and everyone is waiting patiently to see what exactly these three tech giants have been working on.
Since Samsung announced its XR device plans, Apple released its Vision Pro headset to a lukewarm reception. Last year, rumors suggested that Samsung was also developing a headset similar to Apple's — up to a point.
Then, reports said the company went back to the drawing board once it saw that the Vision Pro failed to revolutionize the segment.
Assuming that Samsung's XR device will indeed look more like a pair of regular glasses, we may never know if the original design was closer to a virtual reality headset, similar to Vision Pro, or something else.
It's hard not to question whether Samsung stopped dead in its tracks during development and started over after the Vision Pro went on sale. But it is a mystery we may never solve.
In any case, it sounds like Samsung might not be ready to fully unveil its XR device at the next Unpacked event, which is said to take place in January. Whether the tentative 2025 release is in jeopardy remains to be determined.
