Samsung offered a glimpse of its upcoming XR headset, Project Moohan, at Galaxy Unpacked 2025. Poised as a direct competitor to Apple’s Vision Pro, this highly anticipated device is expected to launch later this year at a considerably lower price point. While Samsung’s official reveal was brief, substantial information has already surfaced about this exciting new entry into the XR arena. Samsung, with a history in VR and the backing of tech giants Google and Qualcomm, aims to challenge not only Apple but also Meta, the current VR market leader with its Quest 3 headset.
A Look Back at Samsung’s XR Journey
While Project Moohan might appear to be a rapid response to Apple’s Vision Pro, Samsung’s involvement in VR development spans nearly a decade, beginning with the GearVR system in 2015. The groundwork for their current XR headset, developed in partnership with Google and Qualcomm, was first publicly acknowledged at Galaxy Unpacked 2023. Near the end of 2024, Google unveiled Android XR, confirming that Samsung’s Project Moohan would be the inaugural device to support this innovative platform. The compatibility of Android XR with smart glasses further expands the potential for Samsung to introduce advanced AI-powered smart glasses with integrated cameras, potentially vying for a top spot among the best smart glasses available.
Project Moohan: What’s New?
alt text: A user interacting with Apple's Vision Pro using hand controllers.
“Moohan,” meaning “infinity” in Korean, aptly reflects the boundless potential of XR, seamlessly merging virtual elements with physical reality. From immersive VR gaming experiences to mixed reality applications that bring virtual interactions into your living room, the possibilities are vast. The integration of Google’s advanced generative AI, Gemini, further amplifies the transformative potential of this headset.
Leaked images of Project Moohan reveal a design reminiscent of Meta’s Quest Pro, distinguished by a light grey body and a polished bezel that lends a more premium aesthetic.
Here's a look at Samsung's Project Moohan XR headset!
This will run Google's @Android XR software! pic.twitter.com/v2cFI0DjXg
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) January 22, 2025
Project Moohan is clearly designed to rival the Apple Vision Pro. It features a similar look-and-pinch interface, sharp 4K microOLED displays, and an array of cameras and sensors to meticulously track head, hand, and eye movements, as well as the surrounding physical environment. To manage the demands of continuous sensor data processing, high-resolution 3D image reprojection, and multitasking, Samsung has leveraged Qualcomm’s expertise with the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2. This chipset offers enhanced speed, graphics processing, and AI performance compared to the Snapdragon chip powering Meta’s Quest 3 and Quest 3S.
Samsung’s Smart Glasses Ambitions
alt text: Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses resemble regular sunglasses.
Samsung CEO TM Roh has indicated the imminent arrival of smart glasses, though specific details remain scarce. Two potential approaches seem likely: a competitor to Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 and Google’s Gemini AI, enabling multimodal voice and visual input, with hands-free photo and video capture capabilities; or, more ambitiously, smart glasses featuring a heads-up display for accessing notifications, navigation, and AI-generated information. While truly affordable AR glasses may still be on the horizon, Samsung’s entry into this field promises to accelerate development.
Conclusion: The Future of XR with Samsung
While the XR announcements at Galaxy Unpacked 2025 were limited, the coming year holds considerable promise for AR and VR enthusiasts. For more information, explore our comprehensive coverage of all announcements from Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025, and find out how to pre-order the groundbreaking Galaxy S25 Ultra.
