Find a good pizza place in New York.
I put on and tried the new Extended Reality (XR) headset Galaxy XR, unveiled by Samsung Electronics on the 22nd. The hallmark of Galaxy XR is that, using artificial intelligence (AI), you can control the device and find the information you want with just your voice. I tried Galaxy XR in person that day at the Samsung Store in Gangnam, Seoul.
◇ Convenient experience with simple gestures and just your voice
When I first put on the headset, the view unfolding before my eyes was identical to ordinary reality. Only after pressing the control button at the top right did a "separate screen" open and the virtual space begin to overlap with reality. At a single voice command, "Gemini, find the best pizza places in New York," a search panel popped up; after scanning the list of pizza spots with my gaze and selecting a restaurant by touching my thumb and index finger together, the map zoomed in immediately. While three-dimensional terrain near the restaurant and the exterior of the storefront appeared before my eyes, ratings, business hours, and a directions button neatly followed along the edge of the screen. It was an experience where destination search ended with just voice, gaze, and hand movements. What was intriguing was that I could move around and experience the inside of the restaurant within the virtual space. That is because Galaxy XR applies technology that converts two-dimensional photos into a three-dimensional screen.
I then asked it to introduce a place near Gangnam Station in Seoul that makes good pizza. Likewise, five candidates were found on Google Maps, and when I zoomed the screen with my fingers, a panorama near the shop unfolded before my eyes. However, it was not possible to view the interior of the restaurant as if actually experiencing it. A Samsung Electronics official said, "In Korea, services that support experiencing a real space when searching for a restaurant or a specific place are currently not supported," and added, "We have completed updates for more than 1,000 locations in New York City and support the service there, and we plan to keep expanding."
The Circle to Search feature built into Galaxy AI smartphones was also available on Galaxy XR. While wearing the headset, I drew a circle with my finger toward the phone (Galaxy S25) being held by the person standing in front of me and asked which company's product it was. The AI read out the search result: "This product is the Samsung Electronics Galaxy S25. Prices start at 1,155,000 won."
◇ Links with the phone's gallery as well… AI video editing and 3D image conversion are possible
Galaxy XR enabled the use of data and content on a smartphone through inter-device linking. A representative example was the ability to convert two-dimensional flat photos into three-dimensional images for viewing. It was appealing that you could vividly rewatch treasured photos saved in the smartphone's gallery using Galaxy XR. It felt like it would turn a faded moment of memory into a vivid scene.
What was more surprising was that you could create the image or video you wanted using AI with just a voice command. After selecting several portrait photos in the gallery and saying, "Gemini, make a 30-second video of the people in the photos putting their arms around each other and singing," a 30-second short video was created. A Samsung Electronics official explained, "It's a change that could make people newly consume videos for social media (SNS) and family photos."
It also felt convenient that you could naturally and intuitively use Google's core services—Gemini, Maps, Google, Photos, YouTube, and Play Store—on Galaxy XR through voice, gaze, and gestures. Galaxy XR is the first product to mount the Android XR platform, co-developed by Samsung Electronics, Google, and Qualcomm. Kim Jeong-hyeon, Samsung Electronics Consumer Experience (CX) head, said, "What matters most in this market is the meeting of AI and XR, and what kind of ripple effect the combination of these two technologies can show," adding, "From that perspective, when Samsung Electronics and Google come together, we can present the most differentiated product."
◇ Maximized comfort with light weight
What I felt after wearing it for 10 minutes was that it was so light I could almost forget I had it on. Like Apple Vision Pro, it reduces weight by separating the battery from the device. Galaxy XR weighs 545 grams, about 100 grams lighter than Apple Vision Pro (650 grams). The weight balance is evenly distributed across the forehead and occipital area, and the external battery connection structure reduces front-heaviness, which also improves comfort. Cheekbone pressure was not especially bothersome, and the wide range of strap angle adjustment made it easy for eyeglass wearers to fit. It was disappointing that the battery lasts about two hours (2.5 hours for video). It was inconvenient that during use, you have to carry it with the battery connected by wire.