Samsung to Launch Project Moohan XR Headset at Galaxy Event on October 21st

Samsung introduced it’s holding a Galaxy Occasion on October twenty first, which can function Venture Moohan, the corporate’s long-awaited Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional competitor.

The Information

The livestream occasion is slated to happen on October twenty first at 10PM ET (native time right here), which is claimed to concentrate on “the way forward for AI” and Venture Moohan.

“Come meet the primary official gadget on Android XR—Venture Moohan,” the video’s description reads.

There’s no official indication but on what the headset shall be priced, and even formally named at this level. A earlier report from South Korea’s Newsworks suggests it may price someplace between ₩2.5 and ₩4 million South Korean gained, or between $1,800 and $2,900 USD.

The corporate’s occasion web site does nonetheless permit customers to register for a $100 credit score, legitimate when buying qualifying Galaxy merchandise.

We’re hoping to study extra concerning the headset’s specs and promised VR movement controllers, which Samsung has but to disclose.

Since our earlier hands-on from final 12 months, we’ve realized Venture Moohan features a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 + Gen 2, twin micro‑OLED panels, pancake lenses, automated interpupillary distance (IPD) adjustment, assist for eye and hand-tracking, optionally available magnetically-attached gentle protect, and a detachable exterior battery pack.

My Take

Personally, the teaser doesn’t actually serve up the form of “wow” issue I hoped for, because it highlights some pretty primary stuff seen in XR over the previous decade. Sure, it’s truly has been that lengthy.

Whereas I don’t count on Moohan to cease at a Google Earth VR-style map and immersive video—neat as these issues are—it’s fascinating to me the corporate thought these two issues had been worthy additions to a launch day teaser for its first XR headset because the launch of Samsung Odyssey+ in 2018.

As the primary official headset supporting Google’s Android XR working system although, I count on the occasion may even concentrate on Moohan’s capacity to not solely use the usual library of Android apps and native XR stuff, but additionally XR productiveness—offered Samsung actually needs to go toe-to-toe with Imaginative and prescient Professional.

By all accounts, Moohan is a succesful XR headset, however I’m wondering how a lot fuel Samsung will throw at it now that Apple is reportedly shifting priorities to concentrate on Meta-style good glasses as an alternative of creating a less expensive and lighter Imaginative and prescient Professional. Whereas Apple is launching Imaginative and prescient Professional’s M5 {hardware} refresh on October twenty second, that might depart Samsung to navigate a doubtlessly awkward center floor between Meta and Apple.

Moohan’s market efficiency can also dictate how different producers undertake Android XR. And there’s worrying precedent. Google did the identical factor with Lenovo Mirage Solo in 2018, which was presupposed to be the primary headset to assist its Android-based Daydream platform earlier than Google pulled the plug attributable to poor engagement. Right here’s to hoping historical past doesn’t repeat itself.