Samsung Set to Launch Project Moohan XR Headset on October 21

Samsung is preparing to unveil its mixed reality headset, known as Project Moohan, on October 21, 2023, according to a report from South Korea’s ETNews. This launch aims to position Samsung’s device as a competitor to the Apple Vision Pro in the growing prosumer XR segment.

The announcement is expected to take place online, likely in the morning hours of October 22 in South Korea. Details regarding specifications, pricing, and purchasing options for Moohan are anticipated to be revealed at this event. Earlier reports indicated that Samsung had initially planned to introduce Moohan during an event on September 29, with sales set to begin on October 13, but these plans have reportedly shifted due to a revised marketing strategy and final quality assurance checks.

Pricing and Market Strategy

While it remains unclear if the headset will have a global launch or adhere to the previously mentioned Korea-first strategy, the pricing is projected to fall between ₩2.5 million and ₩4 million South Korean won, which translates to approximately $1,800 to $2,900 USD. This pricing strategy is seen as an attempt to undercut the Apple Vision Pro, which is priced at $3,500.

Moohan will be the first XR headset to operate on Google’s Android XR system, potentially providing a direct alternative to Apple’s VisionOS. This integration could offer users access to a wide array of Android applications alongside unique content specifically designed for the headset. In contrast, Meta’s Horizon OS for Quest necessitates that developers manually adapt Android applications for compatibility.

Technical Specifications and Features

The device is reported to incorporate micro-OLED panels from Samsung Display, achieving a remarkable pixel density of 3,800 ppi. It will function with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset and feature 16GB of RAM. As Samsung has been relatively quiet about the specifications since Moohan’s initial announcement late last year, further details are eagerly awaited.

Additionally, the headset is expected to support various input methods, including voice, hand, and eye tracking, integrating Google’s multimodal AI. Users are also anticipating the release of first-party motion controllers, which have been long promised but not yet detailed.

According to the latest reports, Samsung is initially targeting a shipment volume of approximately 100,000 units for this launch, with plans to adjust future production goals based on early consumer demand.

As the anticipation builds for Project Moohan, its potential impact on the XR market and competition with established players like Apple remains to be seen. More information is expected to emerge following the launch event, providing insight into the device’s performance and user experience.