Samsung’s New Galaxy Mixed Reality Headset Moves Closer to Launch

What Happened?

Samsung’s new mixed reality Galaxy headset, originally known as Project Moohan, has taken a substantial step towards readiness for launch. The Galaxy headset is now listed as a certified product in the official Bluetooth qualification database. This listing indicates that Samsung's new mixed reality headset has completed the Bluetooth Qualification Process.

The listing also describes ‘Galaxy XR’ as a ‘head mounted device,’ clearing up any uncertainty as to what kind of product the Galaxy headset is. Samsung has said the new product will be launched before the end of 2025 but has not specified exactly when that would be.

Why it Matters

Samsung is the second largest producer and seller of electronics worldwide, behind only Apple in terms of total sales volume. The move to introduce its own mixed reality headset to the market demonstrates that Samsung believes, as Meta and Apple do, that sales of virtual and mixed reality headsets are likely to remain strong for years to come.

Mixed reality differs from augmented reality by allowing virtual and physical objects to interact. In augmented reality, digital imagery and information can be overlayed onto physical objects, but mixed reality goes a step further by allowing the two to actually interact with each other. In practice, mixed reality creates a much more interactive experience for the user than augmented reality does.

For example, in augmented reality, you could point a smartphone or tablet at a restaurant, and information would pop up on the screen, floating above the location in the form of an image or icon. But the information just stays there, and the user can only read it. In mixed reality, the same icon or image about the restaurant would pop up on the screen, but with hand gestures the user can actually interact with the imagery, for example, moving it around or scrolling through its data to read a list of previous reviews. 

Because Samsung’s Galaxy mixed reality headset is reported to use some of the same technology found in Meta’s Quest 3, it is reasonable to expect that the new Galaxy may offer a similar experience to users. Thus far, Samsung has not released a lot of details about the specifications of the Galaxy, but it is expected that the cost per unit will likely be well over a thousand dollars, which is much more expensive than the Meta Quest. 

How it Affects You

Mixed reality headsets or glasses can allow users to blend the real world and the digital world in a unique way. By allowing users to interact directly with the digital part of the experience, the real world and the digital world become seamlessly fused together into a single, integrated experience for the users. 

The potential applications for mixed reality technology are vast, including education, training, travel, and entertainment.