The Samsung Galaxy XR augmented reality (XR) headset was officially launched this morning with the Android XR operating system. This is a project that was announced as Project Moohan over a year ago and is seen as a challenger to the Apple Vision Pro.
First of all, the front of the Galaxy XR is equipped with six cameras with two for see-through mode and four more to see the surroundings. This allows see-through mode to be used as well as tracking the user's hand movements. Two cameras are placed at the bottom with both used to track two hands when they cannot be seen by the front camera. There is also a depth sensor on the forehead in front. Also included are five Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) sensors to detect movement.
There are four more sensors on the inside to track the user's eyes. This puts the Galaxy XR's capabilities similar to the Vision Pro. Another similarity is that the headset supports diopter lenses for nearsighted users. With this, the Galaxy XR can be used without having to wear glasses which makes it less comfortable.
There is no secondary screen on the outside, but on the right stem there is a touchpad for gesture control while the app launcher button and audio adjustment button. On the left stem there is a connection to the same power pack as in the Vision Pro. Two cooling vents are placed at the top and four at the bottom.
The front has a sponge that blocks light and makes it more comfortable to wear. On the back is a rotating knob to tighten it to the head. This tightening mechanism is similar to that used on the PlayStation VR2. Although it can detect hand movements, the Galaxy XR will be offered with two physical controllers specifically for video games.
Various games are supported and the main focus is Google Gemini support. Among the demos shown is that Gemini can transform 2D images into moving spatial 3D videos. Images with depth information can also be viewed in spatial 3D space. Because
Android XR is a new operating system, Galaxy XR owners only need to look for the “Made for XR” label to find applications developed specifically for this headset. Among the applications that already support Android XR are Netflix and YouTube. Through PC Link, content from a PC such as video games can be displayed on the Galaxy XR.
Like the Vision Pro, the Galaxy XR also features video calling with virtual avatars. Galaxy XR users can use a realistic-looking virtual avatar called Likeness or use Galaxy Avatar, which has been supported on Samsung devices for several years. Likeness and Galaxy Avatar will follow the user's facial expressions and hand movements in real time.
In terms of specifications, the Galaxy XR is equipped with a 4K Micro-OLED screen with a refresh rate of up to 90Hz, powered by the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip, 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a battery that can last up to 2.5 hours on a single charge.
The battery pack is attached using a cable with a connector on the left side of the headset. The headset alone weighs 545g with the battery pack weighing 302g. The Samsung Galaxy XR is sold for $1,799.99 (~RM 7613) for a set starting today but only in the United States and South Korea at this time.
