With PSVR 2 launching this month all eyes are on the impact Sony can make with its VR device. Once again we're all asking, 'will VR take off?' The launch of PSVR 2 has seen a spate of tech brands teasing new hardware too, and Samsung has joined the fray and is set to launch a new VR headset.
At last week's Samsung Galaxy Unpacked we found out a new mixed reality headset is coming from the S23 Ultra manufacturer. This is big news, as Samsung was a leader with its Samsung Gear VR headset years ago but it never took off. Now the tide is turning when it comes to the popularity of VR; rumours of the new Apple VR headset continue and Meta is heavily pushing its Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro headsets – the biggest tech brands are heavily invested in VR.
Sony is the outright leader, and you can find out everything you need to know about PSVR 2 in our guide, but the teased Samsung VR headset could impress and will likely go head-to-head with Apple's rumoured VR tech. Samsung announced it is working on a wearable headset in collaboration with Google and Qualcomm, and tech giant told the Washington Post (opens in new tab) it is also working with Meta and Microsoft.
Details are scarce but speculation is the Samsung VR headset will match Apple's rumoured device, but it looks likely to support Windows and Android to offer the same AR and VR mix to a wider user-base.
Out sister site TechRadar points to a report on Netherlands tech site Galaxy Club (opens in new tab) that found a new Samsung battery with the product code I120, which is linked to the model number of the rumoured Samsung VR headset (SM-I120). Why is it interesting? Because the new battery is 45 x 45mm, small enough to be fitted into the headset itself and not an external battery pack as speculated in the Apple VR design. So, differences in approach are emerging – Samsung's headset suggests something between PSVR 2 and Meta Quest Pro.
We're weeks away from PSVR 2 launching – its coming 22 February – and this PlayStation 5 headset could set the agenda for new VR tech in 2023 and 2024. If the launch goes well, and demand is high, I expect Apple and then Samsung will show their hands this year.
The next two years could be very exciting as some of the biggest tech brands begin to battle for this new VR space; presently Sony has a clear pitch – next-gen gaming – and Meta is targeting the social space, so these have an advantage. This leaves Samsung and Apple to fight for the creative space, which will be exciting.
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