Samsung is working with Qualcomm and Google on a mixed reality device

Samsung is working with Qualcomm and Google on a mixed reality device, the three companies have announced. The release would not take long, but the companies do not want to say anything about the device or the software.

Samsung said at its Unpacked event Wednesday night that it’s teaming up with Qualcomm and Google on a device that uses mixed reality. That is a mix of virtual reality and augmented reality; in practice it usually means a VR headset with cameras to see the real world. It is obvious that Qualcomm supplies the socs, while Google supplies the operating system and perhaps makes apps and services suitable. Samsung presumably makes the hardware and also probably provides its own services.

For years, Samsung had its Gear VR headsets that served as holders for its smartphones to run VR software. It also made a standalone VR headset, the HMD Odyssey. Google previously had its Cardboard headsets and now has ARCore for Android smartphones. Qualcomm already made the socs for, among other things, the Oculus Quest headsets. The timing of the announcement does not seem coincidental. There have been rumors of an upcoming XR headset from Apple for some time now.