Samsung’s XR device with Google is still happening, and it’s got a card up its sleeve
At the Galaxy Unpacked event in Paris, Google’s Rick Osterloh got on stage to confirm that the partnership between Samsung, Google and Qualcomm was still on. Osterloh is the Senior Vice President of Platforms and Devices, and he confirmed this partnership was for “next generation devices”.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything about the XR (Extended Reality) device these companies are partnering for. Though, if I had to guess, I’d say it’ll probably be something geared towards productivity rather than entertainment. This device, be it AR glasses or a headset, will probably want to compete directly with the Apple Vision Pro.
However, we now also have just a tiny bit more information on how this device will function. And, unsurprisingly, it involves AI. We’ve already seen the Ray-Ban smart glasses with Meta AI, but those don’t have a display. Patrick Chomet, Executive Vice President at Samsung, says AI will be pivotal for the upcoming product.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything about the XR (Extended Reality) device these companies are partnering for. Though, if I had to guess, I’d say it’ll probably be something geared towards productivity rather than entertainment. This device, be it AR glasses or a headset, will probably want to compete directly with the Apple Vision Pro.
But I believe the whole thing, what will make it really, really useful for people is actually AI.
— Patrick Chomet, CNET, July 2024
It seems the race for a modern pair of AR smart glasses almost necessitates the use of AI. Meta has been working on a pair of AI-powered AR smart glasses for quite some time now. And Google’s demo of Project Astra at Google I/O this year featured a pair of AR glasses powered by Gemini, Google’s flagship AI model.
Even without a display, the Ray-Ban smart glasses have seen unprecedented success. | Video credit — Meta
We still don’t have a concrete date for when we might even get a glimpse of this device. But personally, I’m ecstatic that the XR industry is finally making moves to make the technology mainstream.
And whichever of these companies releases a finished product first will have a major advantage, in my opinion.
And whichever of these companies releases a finished product first will have a major advantage, in my opinion.
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