Samsung confirmed earlier this year that it's building a new XR device in collaboration with Google and Qualcomm. Subsequent reports suggested that it could be a standalone headset, similar to the Apple Vision Pro, offering a variety of augmented and mixed reality experiences.
While recent reports have made it seem that Samsung's first XR device will actually be smart glasses, Samsung sprung a surprise on its fans today and gave us a first look at its full-fledged Project Moohan XR headset that will be launched in 2025.
Project Moohan XR headset is Samsung's Apple Vision Pro rival
The Project Moohan codename was leaked previously and it has now been officially confirmed by Samsung. “Moohan” is Korean for “infinity,” which Samsung says refers to its drive for providing one-of-a-kind immersive experiences.
Samsung hasn't revealed much about the specs of its first XR headset, but it did mention that it has “advanced displays,” passthrough capabilities, and natural multimodal input. We already know that a Qualcomm chip will be inside it and that it will run on Android XR, a new extended reality platform that Google also announced today.
Additional details revealed by Google provide some insights about the upcoming headset. It will enable users to switch between a fully immersive XR experience or have it augment content on top of the real-world. For example, it can show Google Maps directions in augmented reality when the headset is in passthrough mode.
Google's AI assistant Gemini will do a lot of the heavy lifting on this headset. Users will be able to talk to Gemini about what they're saying and control the device using voice commands. The company is also enhancing some of its top apps for headsets. YouTube and Google TV will be displayed on a virtual big screen for XR users, while Google Photos will let them relive their favorite memories in 3D.
Google Maps will provide new ways to explore the world in Immersive View while Chrome will offer multiple virtual screens for easy multi-tasking. Using Circle to Search will be as easy as using a simple gesture on whatever you're looking at through the headset.
Since Google has based Android XR on Android, the company has confirmed that most apps on the Play Store will automatically be compatibe with the headset on day one. This will provide Samsung's Project Moohan XR headset with a huge boost compared to the Vision Pro, which has struggled due to a lack of apps.
Samsung has keeping its cards pretty close to its chest for now so there's no information about pricing, but it's possible that the company talk about its Project Moohan XR headset at the Consumer Electronics Show 2025 in Las Vegas next month.
