Samsung, the Korean electronics company, has revealed it is working to build its own metaverse and extended reality devices, hinting at the possibility of the launch of a VR headset in the near future. TM Roh, head of Samsung mobile experiences business, stated that the device will be built in partnership with Google and Qualcomm.
Samsung to Enter the Metaverse Hardware Business
Samsung, the Korean mobile company, revealed it will be joining the market of metaverse and VR (virtual reality) headsets soon. The company announced that it is already working on what it calls “extended reality” hardware, hinting at the production of a VR headset.
TM Roh, Head of Samsung mobile experiences business, confirmed that such a device is in the works, but did not offer a launch window for the hardware. However, he reported the involvement of Qualcomm, the fabless chip maker, and Google, as partners. On Feb. 1, Roh told The Washington Post:
Many different companies … have been making these announcements about different realities, so we have also been making similar preparations, no less than any others.
Ro explained that Samsung had delayed its participation in the market, stating that the market was still not ready and that other similar devices launched by competitors did not have the expected success.
More VR Devices
Samsung joins the rows of manufacturers that have already launched metaverse devices, such as Meta and HTC, and others that are planning to do so in the near future, like Apple. Ro stated that Samsung’s new device will be powered by a Qualcomm chip specially designed to perform better in virtual reality applications, and will use an OS powered by Google.
The determination of Samsung to jump into what is configuring to be a crowded market might answer to an expansion push away from traditional smartphones to something more. Nokia, another phone tech company, predicted that metaverse tech will replace smartphones in the second half of this decade.
However, in opposition, Ro believes this new family of devices does not represent any danger to what smartphones offer today. He stated:
Smartphones will continue to build on the features and the needs of consumers and will provide even more new experiences.
To Roh, there can be an integration of metaverse and smartphones to complement their experiences and develop further from there. Samsung’s involvement with the metaverse is not new, as the company has already made several investments in projects in the area.
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