Samsung has released the Galaxy XR – a high-end VR headset built on the Android XR platform that’s designed to deliver high quality immersive multi-modal AI experiences and transform daily tasks and entertainment.
The Samsung Galaxy XR is only available in the US and Korea currently and is priced at $US1,799.
Naturally the new Samsung Galaxy XR will draw comparison’s Apple’s Vision Pro is nearly twice the price at $US3,499.
“With Galaxy XR, Samsung is introducing a brand-new ecosystem of mobile devices,” said Won-Joon Choi, Chief Operating Officer of Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics.
“Built on Android XR, Galaxy XR expands the vision for mobile AI into a new frontier of immersive and meaningful possibilities, allowing XR to move from concept to everyday reality, for both the industry and users.”
Sameer Samat, President of Android Ecosystem at Google said: “Android XR is the first Android platform built entirely for the Gemini era, and we are incredibly excited to take a significant leap forward today with the launch of Galaxy XR.
“Through our partnership with Samsung, Android XR will unlock entirely new ways to explore, connect and create, building an open, unified platform for the next evolution of computing.”
Samsung’s Galaxy XR will offer users new ways to connect to the world around them and is the first to be built on the new Android XR platform.
Gemini is integrated at the system level and offers intuitive and natural interactions using your voice, vision and gestures.
And being a headset, it can see and recognise your surroundings which allows the unit to respond in natural and conversational ways.
Samsung built the XR ecosystem in partnership with Google and Qualcomm which puts AI front and centre.
Android XR is an open and scalable platform that has been designed to scale and be used across different platforms and form factors including headsets and AI glasses.
On the design side, Galaxy XR has been meticulously engineered to be worn comfortably for extended periods.
It is lightweight yet robust and designed for daily use.
Galaxy XR has an ergonomically balanced frame which can distribute balance across the front and back of the user’s head.
Like the Vision Pro, the Galaxy XR battery pack is separate to the headset which makes the device smaller and lighter and more comfortable to wear.
Galaxy XR will give users a whole new dimension of experiences that elevate existing apps like Google Maps, YouTube, Circle to Search and Google Photos to a whole new level.
Under the hood are advanced sensors and cameras to track the users head, hand and eye movements so there is no need for physical controllers.
Samsung’s Galaxy XR will also provide new and immersive ways to enjoy your entertainment including sports and gaming.
Inside are two 4K micro OLED screens each with a resolution of 3,552 x 3840 that offer the size and feel of a personal theatre.
It’s also possible to create and edit in 3D as well as adding 3D depth and layers two existing images.
The device is powered by Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 with AI delivered through the Qualcomm Hexagon NPU Plus.
It has 16GB RAM and 256GB storage.
Battery life will run for up to 2.5 hours.
Samsung sees this product as not just a consumer device but also to meet a wide range of use cases for enterprise needs including virtual training.
Samsung says AI eyeglasses will also form part of the broader XR road map in collaboration with Google.
The company is already working with lifestyle brand Warby Parker to create eyewear that is both functional and beautiful.
Samsung is also partnering with Gentle Monster to combine fashion-focused eyewear with cutting edge AI.
Samsung has yet to announce a release date or pricing for the Galaxy XR in Australia.
Specifications
| Galaxy XR | |
| Memory | 16GB Memory 256GB Storage |
| Display | 3,552 x 3,840, 27 million pixels Micro-OLED 6.3‑micron pixel pitch 95% DCI‑P3 Refresh rates: 60Hz, 72Hz (Default), 90Hz (Up to, upon service request) Field of View 109 degrees horizontal and 100 degrees vertical |
| Chip | Snapdragon® XR2+ Gen 2 Platform |
| Camera | Supports 3D Photo & video capture 18mm / F2.0 6.5MP* *Resolution may vary depending on use case |
| Sensors | Two High-resolution Pass-through cameras Six World-facing tracking cameras Four Eye-tracking Cameras Five Inertial Measurement Units(IMUs) One Depth sensor One Flicker sensor |
| Optic (Iris) | Supports iris recognition – Use iris recognition to unlock the device and to enter passwords in certain apps. |
| Audio and Video | Two, 2 Way speaker(Woofer + Tweeter) Six Microphones array – Multiple microphones among the six microphones support beamforming feature depending on the use case Audio Playback – Codec : MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/ AAC+/ eAAC+, Vorbis, FLAC, Opus, Dolby Digital (AC3), Dolby Digital Plus(E-AC3) , Dolby ATMOS(E-AC3 JOC, AC4) Video Playing Resolution UHD 8K(7680 x 4320)@60fps Video Playback (Supports HDR10 and HLG) – Codec : H.263, H.264, HEVC, MV-HEVC, MPEG-4, VC-1, VP8, VP9, AV1 |
| Battery | Up to 2 hours of general use* Video watching up to 2.5 hours** Galaxy XR can be used while charging the battery. *Actual battery life varies by network environment, features and apps used, and many other factors. General usage tested with Wi-Fi connection turned on, video playback from YouTube playing in a virtual environment, Google Chrome internet browser with three websites open and Google Meet with Avatar setting turned on. **Video playback tested in a virtual environment using 2D video content from YouTube. |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7(802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be) BT 5.4 (Up to) |
| Interpupillary Distance (IPD) | 54~70mm Vision Correction Galaxy XR supports vision correction through separately purchasable optical-inserts.* *Prescription lenses are sold separately. |
| Weight | 545g* (w/ forehead cushion) Weight may vary depending on whether light shield is attached or not Separate battery weighs 302g. *The weight of the product specified above includes the weight of the device with the Forehead cushion only. The weight of the product was measured without other attachments such as Cushion size adjusters and Light shields. |
