Samsung Electronics is scheduled to unveil its first XR (extended reality) headset, 'Project Infinite,' in the second half of this year. However, there are concerns in the industry that Samsung Electronics' product launch may be late as the XR device market is shrinking. With competitors already releasing form factors like smart glasses beyond headsets, attention is on whether Samsung Electronics will participate in the 'smart glasses battle' set for next year among big tech companies.
According to industry sources on the 1st, Samsung Electronics plans to reveal 'Project Infinite' to consumers in the second half of the year. Project Infinite is the first Android XR device developed by Samsung Electronics in collaboration with Google and Qualcomm. Experts believe that since Roh Tae-Moon, the acting head of the Device Experience (DX) division at Samsung Electronics, has emphasized the public release schedule for Project Infinite multiple times since last year, the possibility that the launch date will be pushed to next year is low.
◇ The XR headset market is nearing its end... market response will be evaluated
The XR headset market is already seen as entering a decline. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, global XR headset shipments fell by 12% year-on-year last year, marking a three-year decline. While XR headsets gained popularity among some gaming enthusiasts, they failed to attract general consumers due to their weight, high price, and low utility.
The delayed launch of Samsung Electronics' XR headset appears to be influenced by the failure of Apple's Vision Pro. The price of Apple's Vision Pro, released last year, was '$3,500 (4.87 million won),' and it weighed 600 grams. Due to the high price and heavy weight, the global virtual reality (VR) market share was just 2% for the fourth quarter last year. It seems that Samsung Electronics has taken Apple's failure as a lesson and has spent time improving both comfort and performance.
The weight and price of 'Project Infinite' have not yet been disclosed. However, Roh highlighted the advantages of Project Infinite, stating that 'the weight and comfort are good, and voice control can provide a refined user experience.' In May, when Project Infinite was demonstrated at the Osaka-Kansai Expo in Japan, the foreign press remarked that it was 'lighter than existing products' and 'the ability to give commands through Gemini AI and voice is impressive.'
It is reported that most within Samsung Electronics believe it is too late to generate revenue from XR devices. According to industry sources, the expected shipment volume of Project Infinite this year is only 100,000 units. Instead, it is seen as a stepping stone to gather market feedback during the development process of smart glasses scheduled for release next year.
An industry insider noted, 'It doesn't seem that Samsung Electronics is looking to profit from 'Project Infinite.' Ultimately, they need to launch a new product in time for the fierce global smart glasses competition that will begin next year.'
◇ The trend is smart glasses... collaboration with Google continues
The industry is already moving beyond the XR headset market to release smart glasses equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) features. Counterpoint Research reported that global smart glass shipments in the first half of this year grew by 110% compared to the same period last year, with AI smart glasses accounting for 78% of total shipments in that timeframe. In particular, Meta, in collaboration with the eyewear brand Ray-Ban, captured an overwhelming 73% of global smart glass shipments, achieving the number one position. Xiaomi and Huawei have also released low-cost products priced around 500,000 won. Apple and Alibaba are also developing smart glasses with an eye on launching them next year.
Samsung Electronics is developing next-generation smart glasses in collaboration with Google, aiming for a release next year. Google announced during the developer conference (I/O) on May 20 that it is developing smart glasses in partnership with Samsung Electronics and Gentle Monster. Samsung Electronics will handle the hardware manufacturing for the smart glasses, while Gentle Monster will take care of the design. This product is expected to use the 'Android XR' operating system (OS) for extended reality (XR) that Google unveiled at the end of last year.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that Samsung Electronics is developing smart glasses that do not implement Google's operating system (OS). Google is making investments not only in software but also in hardware, leading to interpretations that Samsung Electronics is creating its own products to reduce dependency on Google. However, experts believe that the likelihood of Samsung Electronics introducing or developing any OS other than Android is low, and thus the possibility of producing separate products from Google is minimal.
An industry insider stated, 'Since Samsung Electronics does not have an OS, it cannot release products from smartphones to XR headsets and glasses without collaborating with Google.' He added, 'It seems unlikely that Samsung Electronics will launch new products independently.'