Samsung Officially Launches Galaxy XR Headset – Powered by Android XR, Taking on Apple Vision Pro

The Samsung Galaxy XR mixed reality headset has been officially launched this morning, running on the Android XR operating system. This is the project that was announced as Project Moohan more than a year ago and is seen as Samsung’s challenger to the Apple Vision Pro.

First of all, the front of the Galaxy XR is equipped with six cameras — two for passthrough mode and four for environmental tracking. This allows passthrough mode to be used while also tracking the wearer’s hand movements. Two cameras are placed at the bottom, both used to track the user’s hands when they are not visible to the front cameras. At the front, there is also a depth-tracking sensor near the forehead. It also includes five Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) to detect movement.

There are four more sensors inside to track the wearer’s eyes, putting the Galaxy XR’s capabilities on par with the Vision Pro. Another similarity is that the headset supports diopter lenses for users with vision problems, allowing them to use the Galaxy XR without glasses — making it more comfortable to wear.

There is no secondary screen on the outside, but on the right arm there is a touchpad for gesture control, as well as buttons for app launching and volume adjustment. On the left arm, there is a connection to a power pack, similar to the Vision Pro. Two cooling vents are placed on top and four more at the bottom.

The face area features padding that blocks light and provides a more comfortable fit. At the back, there is a rotating dial for tightening the headset around the head, similar to the mechanism used in the PlayStation VR2. Although it supports hand tracking, the Galaxy XR will also be offered with two dedicated physical controllers for gaming.

Various games are supported, and one of the main highlights is Google Gemini integration. In one of the demos, Gemini was shown to transform 2D images into moving 3D spatial videos. Images with depth information can also be viewed in a 3D spatial environment.

Since Android XR is a new operating system, Galaxy XR owners only need to look for the “Made for XR” label to identify apps designed specifically for this headset. Among the apps that already support Android XR are Netflix and YouTube. Through PC Link, content from a PC, such as video games can also be displayed inside the Galaxy XR.

Like the Vision Pro, the Galaxy XR also features video calling with virtual avatars. Galaxy XR users can use a realistic avatar called Likeness, or the Galaxy Avatar that has been supported on Samsung devices for several years. Likeness and Galaxy Avatar can mimic facial expressions and hand movements in real time.

In terms of specifications, the Galaxy XR is equipped with a 4K Micro-OLED display with a refresh rate of up to 90Hz, powered by the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip, 16GB RAM, 256GB storage, and a battery lasting up to 2.5 hours on a single charge.

The battery pack connects via cable and attaches to the left side of the headset. The headset itself weighs 545g, while the battery pack weighs 302g. The Samsung Galaxy XR is priced at USD 1,799.99 (~RM7,613) per set starting today, but is only available in the United States and South Korea for now.