Meta’s range of VR headsets known as Quest, have for long been the preferred immersive hardware choice for metaverse users. But that may be starting to change with the planned entry of tech and consumer electronics giants Samsung and Apple into the virtual reality space.
Samsung wants to shake up the market for mixed reality gear with the launch of its own extended reality (XR) headset. Extended reality is an umbrella phrase that refers to augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR).
The South Korean tech giant first teased the idea of the “Samsung XR Glasses”, as they are called, at the Unpacked launch event in February.
Samsung XR Glasses
Details of how the upcoming device might look like have started to emerge. The Samsung XR Glasses use a combination of virtual and augmented reality to create an immersive experience for the user, according to industry media.
The headset tracks hand movement, allowing users to move around and interact with virtual objects as if they were really there. Samsung is reportedly using advanced technology to create a lifelike experience that will appeal to both consumers and professionals.
Also read: Could Mixed Reality Solve the Metaverse’s Sickness Problem?
Samsung’s XR headset will not show images on a transparent piece of glass, per Samsung online fan community publication SamMobile. Rather, it is a fully-enclosed virtual reality headset that will show “external cameras for video passthrough of the real world.”
The product is capable of rendering virtual reality and augmented reality objects “into the video representation of the real world brought to the screens by cameras mounted on the headset’s exterior.” However, it does not have an analog “window” to the real world.
The device may be unveiled at Samsung’s next event launch around August or September. It is created to challenge or work like Meta’s latest offering Quest Pro. As MetaNews reported recently, Meta (nee Facebook) cut the Quest Pro price from $1,500 to $1,000 to attract users.
Samsung also filed for new trademark applications in the U.S. for various extended reality products in the last few days. It comes hardly a month after announcing that it was working with Qualcomm and Google to develop a range of XR devices.
Meta Quest Pro
Samsung is not the only player in the market for mixed reality headsets. The company would have to slug it out with Meta, which recently launched its Quest Pro.
The device works similarly to the Samsung XR Glasses, using advanced tracking and spatial mapping tech to create a seamless mixed reality environment. Quest Pro has a sleek, lightweight design, making it comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, testers say.
Meta’s Quest Pro boasts improved hand and eye tracking, higher refresh rates, and higher resolution displays, according to the company. It has full-color MR, with resolution 4X higher than its predecessor Quest 2.
See reality through a whole new lens with Meta Quest Pro. With thin pancake lenses, increased pixel density, local dimming and quantum dot technology, you will see the world in a whole new way. pic.twitter.com/C97dSWR2RF
— Meta Quest (@MetaQuestVR) October 12, 2022
The headset allows users to “create and collaborate” in the metaverse and still remain in the real world.
Its stereoscopic mixed reality features enables passthrough that makes use of multiple sensor views to “create a natural view of the world in 3D.” This headset has depth perception and less visual distortions on close-up visuals and room scale mixed reality scenarios.
Apple’s Reality Pro
The market has been awash with rumors that Apple is planning to release their own AR glasses. While Apple has not confirmed these rumors, many industry experts believe that the American tech company is working on a product that will compete directly with both Meta and Samsung’s mixed reality headsets.
Dubbed “Apple Reality Pro”, the device includes features such as a LiDAR scanner, multiple cameras, and bone conduction technology for audio. The device is expected to overlay digital information onto the user’s surroundings, and will also boast of VR capabilities.
Apple’s entire headset could cost anything between $1,000 and $3,000, and weigh as little as 150 grams, according to some reports. That compares with Meta Quest Pro’s 722 grams. Price-wise, Apple Reality Pro may be in the company of Microsoft’s $3,500 HoloLens 2.
Much has been written about Apple’s upcoming mixed reality headset already, whose release date was pushed back to June from the original April schedule.
What sets the 3 devices apart?
The difference is mostly using a different technology to create their mixed reality glasses. Samsung, for instance, is using a combination of virtual and augmented reality while Meta is using advanced spatial mapping technology. Apple is expected to use a combination of these technologies as well, but the details are still unknown.
Despite the differences in tech, all of these products are aimed at providing an immersive mixed reality experience for users. They are also all designed to be lightweight and comfortable to wear, with a focus on mobility.
Tech companies eyeing MR space are under pressure to come up with products that ensure users don’t end up feeling cybersick. Mixed reality glasses are becoming increasingly popular among consumers and professionals alike. With Samsung, Meta, and potentially Apple all vying for market share, consumers will be spoilt for choice.
As the market for MR headsets continues to grow, companies like Samsung and Apple, are expected to pioneer more products that improve the metaverse experience, thanks to advances in tech and design.
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