The big new Samsung thing that we've been waiting for since 2023 is finally arriving

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Mixed reality is an area that Samsung knows well. In 2015, the Korean giant partnered with Facebook (which had bought Oculus) to launch its Gear VR headset. This headset used the computing power and screen of Galaxy smartphones to offer an immersive virtual reality experience to the user. But, two years later, this product was abandoned by Samsung. Then, in 2023, Samsung again expressed interest in mixed reality.

During the Unpacked event in early 2023, during which Samsung presented the Galaxy S23, it invited executives from Qualcomm and Google to take the stage to announce the development of a headset mixed reality. We know that this headset will use a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip and that it will likely use a software platform provided by Google. And today we also know that this long-awaited product, which will compete directly with Apple's Vision Pro and Meta's Quest headsets, will be unveiled this year.

Yesterday, Samsung organized a conference in Paris to present its new folding smartphones, its new connected watches, and to launch the Galaxy Ring connected ring. But the manufacturer also took advantage of the conference to announce the arrival of the mixed reality headset before the end of the year.

Will Samsung teach Apple a lesson ?

For the moment, we have very few details on Samsung's future mixed reality product. However, although the project was announced very early, this headset arrives a little late, since Apple's Vision Pro has already been marketed since the beginning of the year. However, this delay could be made up if Samsung manages to offer a more interesting product.

Indeed, Apple's Vision Pro has a huge flaw: its price. In the United States, the base model costs $3,499. And in France, it's worse: you have to pay, at least, 3,999 euros to buy the mixed reality headset from the Cupertino company. In a recent article, Bloomberg cites data from IDC, which indicates that Apple has not yet even crossed the threshold of 100,000 units sold.

But Apple is already in the process of rectifying the situation. Rumors suggest that instead of developing a Vision Pro 2, Apple would focus on developing an affordable version, which would have a less interesting technical sheet, but also a lower cost. And according to IDC projections, the cost of production could be cut in half. The firm also estimates that sales could more than double with this affordable version.

• After abandoning its Gear VR headsets, Samsung formalized a partnership with Google and Qualcomm, in early 2023, to develop a mixed reality product
• And this new Samsung product, which will compete with the Vision Pro and Meta Quest products, should be unveiled this year
• Samsung could catch up, by offering a more affordable product than the Vision Pro, which costs 3& ;nbsp;999 euros in France

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