While there are some who view Vision Pro as a solution in search of a problem, there are at least as many of us who are very attracted to the idea but deterred by the price and comfort issues. I’ve said that if Apple could produce a lighter Vision Air model at $2,000 or less, I would likely find it hard to resist.
Samsung’s Galaxy XR headset has just demonstrated that this is a very realistic prospect. The specs are impressively close to those of Vision Pro, but it’s gone on sale at just $1,800 …
Samsung’s Galaxy XR headset
Our sister site 9to5Google got the chance to try a prototype late last year and confirms that the final specs remain impressive. First, it’s substantially lighter than Vision Pro.
Thanks to the primarily plastic build, it weighs 545 grams before factoring the optional light shield that offers a more immersive experience […] For comparison, the aluminum Vision Pro is 750–800 grams.
I suspect comfort over premium material is a trade-off most of us would be happy to make.
We’ll need to see how the processor power compares, but the other specs look remarkably comparable.
Galaxy XR is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There’s Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 7. Battery life via the external pack comes in at 2 hours of general use and 2.5 hours of video watching.
The 4K Micro-OLED panels are 3,552 x 3,840 with 27 million pixels and 96% DCI-P3. The default refresh rate is 72Hz with up to 90Hz available, while field of view comes in at 109 degrees horizontal and 100 degrees vertical.
There are eight external cameras and four eye-tracking ones. It can shoot similar 3D photos and videos to Vision Pro. Security support is arguably better with iris recognition to unlock the device and authenticate passwords.
The Galaxy XR also has Google’s Gemini AI chatbot on board as standard.
Half the price of Vision Pro
But what is arguably most impressive about the device is that, despite its very similar specs, it costs almost exactly half the price of Vision Pro, at $1,800.
The main thing it lacks is the Vision Pro’s external display for EyeSight, which is the one thing almost all users say is just a passing novelty.
9to5Mac’s Take
This pricing demonstrates that what many of us are hoping for is realistic.
Admittedly, I suspect Samsung has rather a different sales strategy here. It wouldn’t surprise me if the company was making very little money on this device, hoping to build a new market that will pay off over time.
But in all honesty, I think that’s a smart move, and one that Apple could usefully adopt. The real endgame here is not headsets but smart glasses products; the more people who can be brought on board at the headset stage, the faster the ecosystem will develop. Samsung has explicitly said as much, and teased an upcoming XR Glasses product:
[We are] creating a software and reference hardware platform that will enable the ecosystem to make great glasses.
If Apple could create a Vision Air headset at a similar kind of price, it would dramatically boost interest in the concept among developers and consumers alike, and that is key to the early success of an Apple Glasses product.
Highlighted accessories
- Official Apple Store on Amazon
- Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter for iPhone 17
- Official Apple iPhone Air cases and bumpers
- iPhone Air MagSafe Battery
- Official iPhone Air case
- Official iPhone 17 cases
- Official iPhone 17 Pro cases and Pro Max cases
Image: 9to5Mac/Samsung/Nareeta Martin on Unsplash
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments