The Sony vs Samsung skirmish is nothing new. For years, these two companies have been competing for the “Top TV manufacturer” position and similar titles. Now, the war between the firms seems to be evolving to include XR headsets.
Both Sony and Samsung have clearly demonstrated an interest in extended reality over the years. In fact, they were two of the first companies to introduce (relatively basic) consumer VR headsets. Samsung introduced the Gear VR headset in 2015, followed by the Odyssey headset.
Now, both companies are beginning to invest in more premium devices that could put them head-to-head with rival devices like the Apple Vision Pro, and unlock new opportunities in the enterprise market. The question is, which XR headset will arrive first?
Sony vs Samsung: The Headset Details We Know So Far
Sony has been a lot more forthcoming with its XR plans, and what it wants to accomplish with its upcoming XR device. They’re not just creating a new “gamer” headset. At the beginning of 2024, Sony announced it was designing a full “spatial content creation system”, partnering with Siemens and Qualcomm to create something entirely new for the XR world.
The Sony device will be a mixed-reality headset (based on what was showcased at CES 2024), but it won’t be a like-for-like Apple Vision Pro competitor. This device will feature unique interaction features (like a haptic ring), and proprietary content creation software.
Samsung, on the other hand, hasn’t revealed a lot of information about its headset at all. Initially, rumors indicated that Samsung was working on an MR headset, like Sony – to compete with the Apple Vision Pro. However, after various delays and disruptions, more analysts have suggested that Samsung might scrap those plans and move into the AR glasses market instead.
Since no images of the Samsung XR headset have been released, we really don’t know much at this stage. Here’s what we do know about both headsets.
The Sony XR Headset
In the war between Sony and Samsung for XR devices, Sony was the more “transparent” of the two firms. It unveiled a prototype of its enterprise-grade mixed reality headset at CES 2024 (we haven’t seen anything similar from Samsung).
The prototype device featured 4K OLED microdisplays, mixed reality passthrough functionality, and a set of unique controllers (as well as an intelligent ring) for content creation. Although there’s no “full specs list” to reference right now, we do know that the prototype has:
- Two RGB cameras for passthrough
- Head and hand-tracking capabilities
- Ring and pointer controllers for natural gestures
- Built-in haptics within the controllers
- A lightweight, adjustable design (with a flip-up panel)
- Qualcomm XR2+ Gen 2 chip
We even have a basic insight into what the device might look like (based on the prototype). It looked something like a clunkier version of the Apple Vision Pro. Although testers did say it was comfortable to wear, with decent weight distribution. They also loved the “flip up visor”, which makes it much easier to jump between different levels of immersion.
We don’t know too much about the visual performance of Sony’s XR headset, beyond the fact that it will feature dual 4K micro-OLED displays. This should allow for an excellent level of clarity, but the field of view may be limited, as some rumors suggest an FOV of around 100 degrees.
Sony definitely seems to be taking strides to achieve its goal of creating a unique “spatial content creation system.” Aside from a set of dual controllers with haptic feedback and the intelligent ring, Sony has also embedded specific software into its device.
Specifically, the headset was apparently developed with Siemens’ Xcelerator engineering software, and the NX Immersive Designer product, which will be available to access at launch.
The Samsung XR Headset
The details surrounding Samsung’s headset are still extremely vague. The company has been talking about creating an XR device since the MWC conference in 2022, but it hasn’t shown us any prototypes, or many specific specs.
After the partnership with Google and Qualcomm was announced during the “Unpacked” event in 2023, we learned that Samsung’s device will also have a Qualcomm chip. It’s supposed to be an enhanced version of the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 (the same chip Sony is using).
Plus, it seems the device will feature a 6-core Android 14 chipset, and 16GB of RAM. The chipset should help to power mixed reality experiences on the device, and enable access to advanced AI features. We think AI will likely be a big feature for Samsung’s headset, particularly as Google is investing so heavily in AI.
The operating system, which will be “Android-based”, as confirmed by a leak from Geekbench this year, will enable access to an open platform too. This will give third parties and developers more freedom to create applications for the device – if it ever arrives.
We know virtually nothing about the controllers that may come with Samsung’s device. Plus, there aren’t a lot of visual specs to draw from either. It’s rumored that Samsung will be using Sony micro-OLED displays. That’s an interesting choice considering the Sony vs Samsung battle.
These displays could offer a resolution of 3,840 x 3,552 pixels, and a refresh rate of up to 90hz, based on previous leaks, but we don’t know anything about the field of view.
On a broad scale, compared to Sony, Samsung seems to be a lot more “undecided” about what it’s headset will actually offer, and what kind of users it will target.
Sony vs Samsung: The Release Date Details
Here’s where things get tricky. Both Sony and Samsung have previously suggested that they would be releasing their headsets “some time” in 2024. But, at the time of writing, the year is almost over, and we still haven’t seen a lot of new information.
Samsung appears to have been hit by numerous delays and disruptions. Initially, the company said it wanted to release its headset in 2023. Obviously, that didn’t happen. Then in 2024, a Geekbench listing leaked, and Samsung shared more details about its headset at its Unpacked event, leading experts to believe a release was coming this year.
Now, it seems like the release date has been pushed back to at least 2025 – perhaps even 2026. Sony has been a little more consistent with its promises. It initially said it would be releasing the headset in 2024, and a leaked SIG certification listing this year seemed to confirm that speculation.
But again, Sony hasn’t shared anything new about its headset for some time. Despite that, we still think Sony is likely to beat Samsung to the finish line- based on the information we have so far.
Samsung’s Progress is Slowing Down
In the Sony vs Samsung battle, Samsung seems to be experiencing hurdle after hurdle while Sony surges ahead. In 2023 and 2024, Samsung kept moving its release date back. Some speculators said this was likely a result of the release of the Apple Vision Pro. Apparently, the new MR headset put increased pressure on Samsung to upgrade its headset design to remain competitive.
More recently, a news report from Daily Korea suggested that Samsung is once again delaying its release date to 2025. According to the report, Samsung no longer feels any urgency to “speed things up”. That might be because LG has withdrawn from its plan to release a high-end Meta Horizon headset in 2025. Plus, Apple seems to be suspending work on the Apple Vision Pro 2, as a result of declining sales for the first Vision Pro.
Other reports also indicate that Samsung might be pushing for a release date somewhere in Spring 2025, with a developer kit distribution planned for Autumn. However, there are rumors that the delays could continue. Some reporters believe Samsung is going to go back to the drawing board and scrap its mixed reality headset idea entirely.
After all, augmented reality glasses are becoming increasingly popular, particularly with the recent reveal of the Meta Orion prototype specs. Samsung may decide to shift into this market instead – hoping for fewer competitors than they’d have in the MR space.
Sony Seems to Be Making Steps Forward
Alternatively, we haven’t seen many reports about Sony’s production times slowing down. Siemens, the company that Sony is partnering with on its spatial content creation platform, said that the headset would be “coming soon” at CES 2024, and Sony seemed to agree.
Information from the SIG certification that emerged in September 2024 also indicates that Sony has made significant moves toward a release date. Although the certification doesn’t officially confirm anything, it seemed to indicate that everything was progressing as planned for the tech firm.
However, a lack of reports about delays and disruptions doesn’t necessarily mean there haven’t been any. Sony also hasn’t given us an official release date yet, and there’s not much time left in 2024. Plus, there are no pre-order pages on the Sony website.
This could mean that Sony are delaying their headset. Or it might mean that we get a launch right at the very end of 2024. Based on what we know so far though, even if Sony doesn’t officially release its headset this year, there’s a good chance it will arrive a lot faster than the Samsung XR device.
After all, Sony already has a prototype, the software it needs for its spatial content creation system, and a list of specs to share with buyers. Samsung has none of those things.
Sony vs Samsung: What Will the Headsets Cost?
Obviously, people interested in the Sony vs. Samsung XR headset battle won’t just want to know which product they can get their hands on first. There’s also the pricing factor to consider. Once again, all we have is rumors and speculation to work with right now.
Both companies seem to be focusing on the creation of a premium-quality device, with applications for the enterprise, as well as consumers. That means that there’s a good chance neither headset will be as “affordable” as the firms’ previous consumer-grade options. They’re also probably not going to compete with new budget-friendly options like the Meta Quest 3S.
Samsung is likely to choose a mid-range price for its device, with some reports suggesting a price of around $1,000 to $1,500. After all, Samsung won’t want to make the same mistakes as Apple here and produce a device that’s prohibitively expensive. However, they also won’t be able to cut costs too much if they want to offer premium functionality and features.
The pricing for Sony’s headset is even more uncertain. Partners like Qualcomm and Siemens haven’t shared any information on what the headset might cost, and neither has Sony. Again, there’s a good chance Sony won’t want to make its headset too expensive – and risk losing sales like Apple.
However, the unique features of the device, such as its proprietary software and unique controllers, could make it more expensive than Samsung’s alternative. We’re expecting Sony’s headset to be slightly more expensive than Samsung’s – particularly if users need to pay for a subscription to Siemens’ Xcelerator engineering software. However, Sony could also consider a different approach, offering creators a monthly subscription price for both the software and hardware. Snap has already done this with their “Spectacles 5” glasses, for instance.
Sony vs Samsung: Who Will Win the XR Race?
So, what will come first: Sony’s spatial content creation solution, or Samsung’s somewhat undefined XR headset? Our money is on Sony in this race.
Sony has already released more information about its device, showcased its prototype, and built a comprehensive software ecosystem for content developers. The firm has clearly defined its market, and it has the resources (and documentation) it needs to bring its device to life.
Samsung’s roadmap is much more uncertain. We only have vague insights into what the headset will offer, and some people believe we won’t end up with a headset at all. Samsung could still switch paths and move into the AR glasses market. Even if it doesn’t, the company has definitely been hit with more delays than Sony—at least from what we know so far.
Still, this is all just speculation. There’s every chance that Samsung could surprise us, or Sony could drop out of the race.
For now, though, we’re betting on Sony to beat Samsung to the finish line.
