Samsung Electronics' coming extended reality headset will focus on a multimodal experience centred on voice as it prepares to enter its newest hardware category later this year, a senior executive has said.
The company is in no rush to release the device dubbed Project Moohan in a category that has yielded mixed results for even the biggest technology companies, said Hyesoon Jeong, executive vice president, and head of framework research and development at Samsung Electronics.
In XR, multimodal interaction includes voice commands, hand gestures, eye tracking, haptics and controller inputs. In more advanced cases, brain computer interfaces can be used.
Project Moohan, which is being developed in partnership with Google, was teased at January's Unpacked in California. Ms Jeong had previously told The National that it might not be released this year, but Google, at its I/O conference in May, announced that it will be available by the end of 2025.
“For XR, we are already developing the UI [user interface] and it will be applied and moving forward” while the hardware is being built, she said at a round-table on the sidelines of Galaxy Unpacked in Brooklyn on Wednesday.
“The interface we will develop [will be] more say voice centric and multimodal; that's the direction that we will go,” she added, without specifying what interactions will be included in Project Moohan.
Samsung's jump into the XR realm will pit it against some of the tech industry's top names in an increasingly crowded sector.
It is already well positioned to do so being the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer and a top chipmaker.
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, already has its Meta Quest line-up of AR headsets and teamed up with Ray-Ban to launch smart glasses, while Microsoft already has its HoloLens. Apple, Samsung's biggest rival in smartphones, has the high-end Vision Pro, which has since been discontinued.
Another advantage Samsung enjoys is its extensive partnership with Google, allowing it to tap into the Alphabet-owned company's major generative artificial intelligence platform, Gemini – and AI itself is a critical factor in the development of advanced XR systems.
For Google, it could be an opportunity to redeem itself from the failure of its Project Iris and, most notably, Google Glass, its first major attempt to bring the device into the mainstream that struggled with a number of problems and a hefty $1,500 price tag.
Google's Gemini was chosen by Samsung as its main generative AI partner over other platforms such as Microsoft's Copilot because of its “openness”, Ms Jeong said.
California-based Google is the developer of the Android operating system used in Samsung smartphones and is the owner of some of the most used apps globally, including Gmail and YouTube, in which Gemini is integrated.
“We thought that [Gemini] was optimised for the mobile environment. That's why we went with Gemini,” Ms Jeong said.
“Galaxy AI pursues openness, therefore, based on that philosophy, we continuously look at user needs and are always open to adopt to what users call for.”
'Respect' for user app preferences
Meanwhile, Samsung said it will maintain the presence of its native apps on its devices despite the dominance of Google's Gemini-backed services out of “respect” for user preferences, Ms Jeong said.
A number of apps that are pre-installed on Samsung phones perform the same tasks such as Google's; for example, Samsung Internet, Samsung Music and Samsung Gallery are equivalent to Chrome, YouTube Music and Google Photos.
Samsung apps cannot, however, be considered as bloatware, which are apps that are unnecessary or hinder performance, as they are part of the Galaxy Ecosystem that connects the company's devices, similar to the interconnectivity of Apple's hardware and software.
Samsung also has its own Galaxy Store where users can download apps specifically programmed for the company's devices; Ms Jeong said Samsung has a substantial number of users tapping into their native apps, hence the reason they will stick to this strategy.
“There are other instances though where we have to respect the choice of consumers, as well and their feedback,” she said.
“There are still many people who use Samsung [apps] … we try to respect and give options when needed.”
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on Quran memorisation:
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The five pillars of Islam
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At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The%20specs
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Jebel Ali results
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner: AF Al Moreeb, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
2.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Shamikh, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 64,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: One Vision, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
3.30pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Gabr, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
4pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 96,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Just A Penny, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
4.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Torno Subito, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner: Untold Secret, Jose Santiago, Salem bin Ghadayer
Crime%20Wave
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The five pillars of Islam
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Naga
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
