
Google and Samsung to Launch XR Headset, Challenging Apple and Meta | Image Source: www.cnn.com
NEW YORK, December 14, 2024 – Google and Samsung are ready to redefine the landscape of mixed reality by collaborating in an innovative XR headphone (advanced reality). According to CNN, the header, which is expected to start in 2025, will compete directly with Apple Pro Vision and Target 3 Search. This joint effort aims to establish a strong point in the market for usable technology, taking advantage of Google’s progress in artificial intelligence and Samsung hardware experience.
XR market objective
The next built Samsung device will have a new Android operating system suitable for XR. The collaboration between Google, Samsung and Qualcomm has given rise to this operating system, which is supposed to power a wide range of devices, including headphones and smart glasses. According to CNN, the new XR operating system is designed to integrate perfectly with Google’s Android applications and AI capabilities, allowing robust competition in XR space.
Unlike Apple’s Vision Pro, which bears a $3,499 high label, analysts predict Samsung and Google’s price for their most competitive helmet. Meta’s Quest 3, currently priced at $500, is another reference point the new device aims to challenge. Country Ives, Managing Director and Senior Equity Analyst at Wedbush Securities, said Google will probably shorten both Apple and Meta to capture a larger call from the mass market. ”It’s a blow through Google’s bow to steal Apple and Meta market share and signal that they won’t see this market from the outside,” Ives added.
Take advantage of IA for a better experience
The capabilities of the XR helmet will be greatly enhanced by the innovations of Google AI, including Gemini, the technology giant’s generational artificial intelligence system. Gemini, which started in 2023, integrates features such as an AI voice assistant and other Android application features into the XR platform. According to CNN, this integration indicates Google’s commitment to monetize its AI technologies while pushing the limits of usable technology. Won-Joon Choi, head of research and development for Samsung’s mobile division, highlighted the transformation potential of XR. “XR quickly moved from a distant promise to a tangible reality,” said Choi. ”We believe that it has the potential to unlock important new ways of interacting with the world by really resonating with its daily life, crossing physical boundaries. »
The collaboration also represents a complete moment for Google, which has already tried to enter the market of technology usable with Google Glass in 2013 and Daydream VR helmet in 2016, both finally stopped. According to Baird CEO Ted Mortonson, this latest effort marks a new Google approach, supported by his advances in IV and extensive development experience.
Market dynamics and competitive landscape
While the market for usable headphones is still in its early stages, competition is already fierce. Scott Kessler, world leader in technology at the third bridge, said Meta has a strong position with her research 3 and partnerships with Ray-Ban. However, the market is far from saturated, allowing new players like Google and Samsung to innovate. “We’re in the early stages,” Kessler said. Despite Apple Pro’s vision as its first major product since the Apple Watch, the device fought to gain significant traction, according to CNN. This leaves Google and Samsung the opportunity to capture market shares with a more accessible and feature-rich alternative.
Mortonson stressed the importance of the Android XR operating system in this equation. He noted that the new operating system is positioning Google to compete not only in hardware, but also in monetizing its artificial intelligence capabilities. “It’s a long time for Google,” Mortonson said, pointing to the acquisition of DeepMind in 2014 as a key step in his IA journey. The new helmet represents a natural evolution in Google’s technological ambitions, according to Mortonson.
The challenges of consumer adoption
Despite the enthusiasm for XR technology, industry experts warn that consumer adoption may remain limited in the short term. Kessler described headphones as the Pro Vision and Search 3 as “better to have” rather than “need to have”. He explained that while these devices have impressive technological capabilities, there is little in the current market that makes them essential purchases for most consumers. “Over the past year, we have been reminded that these products are just as amazing in terms of capacity, that there is really nothing to show, at least at this stage, that makes these products necessary for purchase,” Kessler said.
The XR market also supports the weight of past disappointments, like Google Glass, which first got enthusiasm but failed to achieve long-term success. However, Mortonson remains optimistic about the potential of the new Android XR operating system and its ability to catalyze the wider consumer interest in usable technology. He added that this latest development indicates increased competition between Big Tech companies, each of which is striving to take advantage of the growing opportunities in AI and XR.
According to these sentiments, the association Google and Samsung is ready to serve as a crucial step stone for both companies. As they prepare for the launch of 2025, the XR helmet could pave the way for the next wave of innovations in artificial intelligence. For the time being, industry is closely following the development of this dynamic collaboration, which paves the way for transformative change in the XR and AI ecosystems.