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In February, Samsung announced a collaboration with Google and Qualcomm to build the next-gen XR experiences and technologies. The companies are jointly working on an XR (extended reality) headset. Samsung’s mobile chief TM Roh recently confirmed that the development is on track without any hiccups. We now have more details about the upcoming XR headset, which doesn’t have a name yet.
According to X (formerly Twitter) tipster Revegnus (@Tech_Reve), Samsung’s unnamed XR headset is a “very intriguing” product. The Korean firm has reportedly “drawn a lot of inspiration from Apple’s Vision Pro” to improve it. Like the Vision Pro, it is expected to offer touch support. Samsung could even go a step ahead and add support for “smell” as well.
Unfortunately, it’s unclear whether the device will be able to detect smell or create/simulate smell based on the content on the screen. We hope it’s the latter, as humans have a natural ability to detect smell without requiring a tech gadget. The ability to simulate smell would add a new dimension to immersive XR experiences. Playing games or watching games would feel more realistic.
It’s worth noting that the tech industry hasn’t made much progress when it comes to smell-simulating solutions. If Samsung pulls this off, it could pave the way for a whole new range of products in the future. That said, the tipster doesn’t seem to be 100 percent sure about the upcoming Samsung XR headset featuring smell-related technologies. So take this information with a grain of salt for the time being.
Meanwhile, the tipster adds that the headset will also feature an “impressive” display. The screen will reportedly have a pixel density of over 3,000 ppi. That should mean crisp and sharp images. The tipster says that the Korean firm will unveil technologies powering these XR experiences at its Samsung System LSI Tech Day 2023, which is scheduled for Thursday, October 5. So it won’t be long before we have a clearer picture.
Samsung may announce its XR headset soon
When Apple announced the Vision Pro in June (scheduled to arrive in early 2024), there were reports that Samsung would delay its XR headset because it needed to make significant changes to the design and specs of the product to compete with Apple. However, TM Roh confirmed a couple of months later that the company is on track with its development. It plans to announce the device soon. The latest rumor suggests we will hear something about it next month. We will keep you posted.