Big XR News from Samsung, HTC VIVE, Google, Sony, Pico, NVIDIA

The CES dust settles, but the XR industry continues to grow

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Published: January 24, 2025

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Rory Greener

Just as the CES dust settles, more major XR news hits the airwaves. From crucial industry-affecting investments to Unpacked 2025, this week paints a busy picture for 2025.

Of course, the year has only just begun, and the future can change quickly. However, as the second half of the decade begins, it is clear that the XR industry will see growth in various ways, namely, through the continued business and consumer adoption of RT3D immersive solutions.

On the other hand, the emerging technology space is proving genuinely innovative, with AI and robotics painting a picture of the future of work. At the same time, these aligned emerging technologies provide a potential growth opportunity for the fledging technology space.

More Moohan Details Emerge from Galaxy Unpacked 2025

During Samsung’s Unpacked event, the technology giant provided a brief yet intriguing glimpse into the future of its much-anticipated Moohan headset. While the keynote focused on the latest updates regarding the Galaxy ecosystem and mobile AI, Samsung concluded the event by showcasing the elusive XR headset on a big screen, revealing three key details.

First, Google will play a role in developing the device through the Android XR operating system. Second, the headset will incorporate elements of Samsung’s mobile AI technology. Lastly, it will receive more public updates this year.

Although the information is limited, the timing of this reveal is significant. Samsung unveiled details about the headset alongside its broader ecosystem updates, highlighting the company’s importance in the XR space.

Google Invests $250 Million into HTC VIVE

Following last month’s announcement of AndroidXR and this week’s teasers for Samsung’s Moohan, Google made a significant parallel move. The company entered into a definitive agreement with HTC VIVE, providing a substantial investment of $250 million to the leading XR firm. In exchange, Google will receive valuable XR-related support from the headset manufacturer.

Importantly, this agreement allows Google access to “certain HTC employees from its XR team” who will join Google to assist in developing its own XR solutions. This collaboration is a significant development for the industry, as HTC has a rich history in the market. The partnership between two technology sector giants may foster a new form of competition.

This move also positions Google to build a new portfolio alongside the AndroidXR operating system, which has the potential to revitalize the XR industry in the latter half of the decade and further its ambitions in smart glasses.

Furthermore, Google’s $250 million investment will provide the company with a non-exclusive license for HTC’s XR intellectual property (IP). Along with the expertise of HTC’s XR specialists, the companies indicate that this investment opens up “future collaboration opportunities.”

Google’s $250 million investment is currently subject to customary closing conditions, and finalization is expected during the current quarter of 2025.

Introducing Sony’s Spatial Content Creation System

Sony’s new XYN platform is nearing its full release. This suite combines various software offerings, including the XYN Motion Studio for motion capture and a spatial capture solution that transforms real-world objects into 3D assets. It also features innovative hardware such as the XYN Headset, XR Head-mounted Display, Spatial Reality Display, and mocopi motion sensors.

Together, these components promise to streamline the work of spatial content creators and engineers. The XYN platform represents a tightly integrated suite of hardware and software innovations for spatial content creation.

The system’s standout elements—a spatial capture solution that enables high-fidelity 3D asset creation from real objects and a specialized XR headset for content production workflows—are still in the prototype stage. Detailed information about them is not yet available on the XYN homepage.

However, these components are key to Sony’s ambition of developing an end-to-end solution for spatial computing in business. A demonstration of the headset at CES 2025 provided an exciting glimpse into the potential capabilities of the XYN platform.

PICO Integrates NVIDIA Geforce NOW

XR headset vendor PICO has integrated NVIDIA GeForce NOW into its line of headsets, marking a significant advancement in XR streaming for enterprise and consumer use. This integration allows users to stream immersive content and applications directly to their headsets without needing to be tethered by wires, thereby expanding the range of services these headsets can support.

Initially announced at CES 2025, the NVIDIA GeForce NOW integration is now available on all of PICO’s headsets, including the latest PICO 4 ultra MR headset. Phil Eisler, the VP of GeForce NOW at NVIDIA, stated that this collaboration “sets a new standard for immersive, future-ready entertainment.”

While the primary focus is on consumer applications, particularly gaming, the integration of NVIDIA GeForce NOW highlights a crucial industry-wide movement toward adopting XR streaming platforms.

For professionals, companies like HoloLight, a partner of NVIDIA Omniverse, are leading this transformation. The widespread availability of XR streaming will enhance the public’s perception of the value of large-scale XR content libraries, eliminating the need for intense computing power or extensive storage. Many business leaders can begin adopting this technology at home, and the availability of NVIDIA GeForce NOW on PICO headsets will further promote the use of XR technologies in the workplace, driving the adoption of AR, VR, and MR solutions.

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