A new Samsung XR/VR headset, developed with Google and running Android in some form, is definitely in the works – and we might now have a better idea of exactly when we're going to be able to get our hands on it (and put our heads in it).
According to sources speaking to Business Insider (via 9to5Google), a developer version of the device is going to make an appearance in October. The headset will then be made available to everyone who wants to buy one in March 2025.
Samsung has previously said there will be something new in the XR category before the end of 2024, but this is the first time we've heard specific months mentioned. As always with rumors though, nothing is certain until it's official.
There's actually a Samsung Developer Conference in the schedule for Thursday, October 3 – this could well be when the early version of the headset is given out to developers, so they can start working on apps ready to launch in 2025.
The rumors continue
While there's still lots of uncertainty about what Google and Samsung are working on, the XR term – for Extended Reality – is used to cover virtual reality (enclosed virtual worlds), augmented reality (digital elements on top of the real world), and mixed reality (virtual elements that can be made to appear to interact with or fit in with the real world).
Companies don't necessarily all use these terms consistently though, which can be confusing for consumers. According to the Business Insider report, the upcoming headset has been delayed several times while the technology is refined.
Google engineers apparently now have a renewed focus on Android XR, for powering the upcoming headset and other devices. Google reportedly made attempts to get Meta to use the platform for its own mixed reality headsets, but was rebuffed.
Rumors had suggested that Google abandoned plans for a pair of AR glasses (similar to the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses), but then we saw some smart specs demos in Google's Project Astra AI showcase – so it's possible that there are currently several different types of device in the works.
