Samsung to Unveil New XR Device at Galaxy S25 Launch Event in January 2025
Samsung Electronics is gearing up to make a significant splash in the extended reality (XR) market with the launch of its new XR device, expected to be unveiled in sample form at the Galaxy S25 launch event in the United States in January next year. This move comes as part of Samsung’s ambitious project named “Infinite,” which aims to introduce a prototype of the XR device in the first half of next year and mass-produce approximately 50,000 units in the second half.
The XR device, anticipated to be in the form of augmented reality (AR) glasses, marks Samsung’s strategic entry into a burgeoning market that is projected to expand from $31.3 billion in 2022 to $111.5 billion by 2028, according to market research firm MarketsandMarkets. This growth is driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and increasing consumer demand for new IT platforms.
Samsung’s Mobile eXperience (MX) division, which oversees the XR business, has set a management plan to ship approximately 50 thousand units of the device in the second half of next year. This initiative is seen as a direct challenge to major competitors like Apple and Meta, who have already made their forays into the XR market. Apple unveiled its Vision Pro in February this year, while Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg showcased the company’s XR technology with the Orion AR glasses in September.
At the 2024 Q3 earnings announcement held in October this year, Samsung Electronics presented a pessimistic outlook for the smartphone market, stating, “The smartphone market is expected to grow less than 1% next year, compared to 2.5% growth this year.” This forecast underscores the importance of diversifying into new growth areas like XR technology.
An industry insider commented, “We need to watch how Samsung will approach the market with innovation in a situation where the market has not yet fully blossomed.” This sentiment reflects the cautious optimism surrounding the XR market, which faces several challenges, including the lack of compelling content, high costs, and physical weight of devices.
A senior industry official noted, “The current low sales of Vision Pro are due to a lack of content rather than weight or price,” adding, “In the IT ecosystem, there is a consensus that the XR era will fully open once content is established, and Samsung is also actively investing in this.”
Samsung’s XR product is expected to be equipped with Qualcomm’s application processor (AP) chip and utilize Google’s operating system (OS). Additionally, Samsung is developing an XR-exclusive chip at the System on Chip (SoC) Architecture Lab of Samsung Research America (SRA), highlighting the company’s commitment to creating a proprietary ecosystem similar to Apple’s approach with custom semiconductors.
The Galaxy Unpacked Event, where the XR device will be unveiled, is Samsung’s flagship event for showcasing its latest products, including new models in the Galaxy S series. The announcement of the XR device at this event underscores the significance Samsung places on this new technology as part of its future product lineup.
