News about Samsung's XR project have been circulating for a long time. The company officially detailed the XR project at the Galaxy S23 launch event in 2023, and Samsung is working with Google and Qualcomm to advance the field. Qualcomm CEO Christiano Amon also revealed that Samsung's XR devices will take the form of mixed reality smart glasses that can be connected to smartphones.
Now, South Korean publication Seoul Economic Daily reports that Samsung is developing an XR project codenamed "Infinite" and plans to showcase a prototype of its XR device in the first half of 2025. Industry sources say that the release of XR device prototypes may coincide with the US launch event of the Galaxy S25 series, which is expected to be held in January 2025.
Corroborating the Qualcomm CEO’s message, Samsung’s XR device is considered an augmented reality (AR) glasses. XR devices are likely to launch in the second half of next year, and Samsung plans to ship more than 20,000 to 30,000 units in the third and fourth quarters of 2025, which seems to indicate that the company is pursuing limited releases. Samsung's Mobile Experience Division (MX) is reportedly overseeing the production of XR smart glasses.
This will mark Samsung's first foray into the XR space, joining rivals like Meta and Apple. Since Apple has been having trouble selling its ambitious XR headset, the Vision Pro, it will be interesting to see what new products Samsung will bring to the table with its XR smart glasses. Apple's XR device business has been sluggish in part due to lack of applications, weight and price. An industry insider said: "We will wait and see what kind of innovation Samsung will take when the market has not yet fully blossomed."