Support NeoGAF

[Eddie-Griffin]

https://www.slashgear.com/1214171/s...ing-on-a-mixed-reality-plan-to-take-on-apple/
Edit- Found more clear source article from CNBC,
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/01/mwc-samsung-is-working-out-a-roadmap-for-mixed-reality-devices.html

Patrick Chomet, an executive vice president at Samsung Electronics, told CNBC in an interview that the company is “working out” a roadmap for mixed reality products. He declined to give specifics on when such a product could be released.

Chomet, who was speaking to CNBC at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, highlighted Samsung’s partnership with Alphabet’s Google and U.S. chip giant Qualcomm that was announced in February. The three companies gave very few details about what the partnership entails but said it would focus on mixed reality.

Qualcomm sells a series of chips called Snapdragon XR specifically designed for mixed reality products, such as headsets. Samsung has years of experience in hardware design. While Google’s strength lies in its Android operating system and developers who make apps for it.

Chomet said the partnership is not just about the three companies, however, but also designed grow the mixed reality market.

“The reason why we announced is, is beyond Qualcomm, Google and Samsung alone, we want to prepare the whole ecosystem. There will be many, many developers, content companies and app companies that will prepare innovation and experiences for that ecosystem,” Chomet said.

“Yes, we can do devices. Yes, Qualcomm can do chipsets, yep. Yes, Google can do OS [operating system]. But then in the end, we need more than that, to make a vibrant ecosystem.”

Competition from Apple, Meta​

Meta is one company that has staked its future on the melding of virtual and physical worlds. In October, the company launched the $1,500 Meta Quest Pro mixed reality headset.
And Bloomberg reported in January that Apple is gearing up to release a mixed reality headset in the spring, which would bring a major electronics player into the fray.
Microsoft meanwhile has its own mixed reality headset called HoloLens. And on Monday, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi took the wraps off of a prototype set of augmented reality glasses.

Samsung is no stranger to these virtual experiences. The company launched its first virtual reality headset in 2015 called the Gear VR. At the time it was built by Oculus, the company Facebook owns. Samsung discontinued the Gear VR in 2020 as the device failed to take off in a big way.

At the time, the product required a smartphone to be inserted into the headset. But electronics makers are moving away from this model and toward wireless headsets.

Samsung’s Chomet said that while virtual reality is good for gaming, “we believe there is more potential in some mixed reality ... so we are going to advance the roadmap in that direction.”

Leo Gebbie, an analyst at CCS Insight, said some sort of “smart glasses would slot beautifully” into Samsung’s portfolio of devices from smartphones to watches.

“Alongside its smartphones, it already has wearable devices like the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Buds. All of these would be optimised to work together to deliver the best possible user experience, furthering the ecosystem tie-in that many big tech companies are so focused on today,” Gebbie said.

Samsung will work on gaming but they believe that they have to do more and go beyond gaming as well for VR to work. They want to have their headset slot in and integrate with their wearables, smartphones, and smartwatches all in one ecosystem and can be used for everything from gaming to productivity.

Of course, that's been the target for most headsets outside gaming specific ones. But Samsung already has a popular ecosystem of devices that's more polished, less broken, with a clearer vision than competitors like Zucker.

I also find it interesting that selling 7.8 million Gear VRs is looked at as a lack of getting anywhere from Samsung, they must be thinking over 10 million or tens of millions is where VR needs to be to be viable.

Apple connected people said they were expecting 7-10 million units of its headset to sell the first year. TCL wanted to go beyond what others have too, it seems that several VR entrants and re-entrants are going for the go big or go home ideology.

Of course, content and price are both important on how these Samsung XR products will do. To be fair though Samsung like Apple, has enough retail partners to push for subsidization. Samsung partnering with Qualcomm with XR specific chips, may allow Samsung to have a cheaper price when produced in bulk too.

 

[Damigos]

We dont need more vr devices. There are too many already

 

[mrmustard]

We dont need more Eddie-Griffin vr threads. There are too many already

 

[STARSBarry]

We dont need more vr devices. There are too many already

Normally I would agree if they where splitting off userbases...

The thing is no one seems to have got VR quite right yet, and Id samsung can throw even more competition into the mix I'm OK with that until some one finally gets it just right.

 

[Damigos]

Normally I would agree if they where splitting off userbases...

The thing is no one seems to have got VR quite right yet, and Id samsung can throw even more competition into the mix I'm OK with that until some one finally gets it just right.

I havent bought PS VR2 yet, but it seems to be the best solution so far. Especially if half life VR releases there

 

[Haint]

They didn't sell 8 million Gear VRs, they gave them away with Galaxy phone purchases. Usage and retention metrics were no doubt terrible though cause it was an awful experience.

 

[Roxkis_ii]

It doesn't matter what their working on right now. As soon as Apples releases theirs, Samsung will just copy that.

Just like they did with the headphone jack... Bastards

 

[STARSBarry]

I havent bought PS VR2 yet, but it seems to be the best solution so far. Especially if half life VR releases there

The eye tracking is a game changer just as I expected, I am hoping someone gets it working on PC soon so I can hook mine up.

Most of the focus has gone onto what I consider the most unimportant feature it brings to the table, that it can scale resolution depending on where you look. That's a pipe dream as there will always be lag and look off, but what it does add is inventory mangement, look at the item you want and click, no more up up left left left click, its look at the item you want and click.

UI could easily become context sensitive, for example stare at a health bar for long enough and it brings up more information. Stare at an item in your hand and it brings up a lore box to read etc.

It is the ONLY consumer headset available with this technology, and it's been available for over half a decade in the business space, people need to catch up and unless Sony become interested in giving official access to VR via the PSVR2 by PC, I'm happy to see others have a shot of the market Sony are purposefully ignoring.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

They didn't sell 8 million Gear VRs, they gave them away with Galaxy phone purchases. Usage and retention metrics were no doubt terrible though cause it was an awful experience.

To be fair, they did sell several million at reduced prices like $99, and to as low as $50 on the late end. But they also did give several away during a period with 2 year agreement. Or if you brought a $800 phone full price. But they sold many at reduced prices to try and make some money on them as well.

Retention was generally bad but there are still people using them and modding them, and while Samsung hasn't had a new headset in years, the Morning Consult data had them in the top of companies people are most interested buying a new headset from, so the positive perception of Samsung in VR was planted even if those headsets were pretty poor unless you got a later high-end one with a high-end phone. Then I would say imo, it was a passable experience, not really 'good" though.

But since most Mobile phone VR was pretty bad, Gear was basically seen as premium.

It doesn't matter what their working on right now. As soon as Apples releases theirs, Samsung will just copy that.

Just like they did with the headphone jack... Bastards

You forgot about the power brick.