It seems Samsung has another Gear VR headset up its sleeves, as well as AR technology in the works.
At the Virtual Reality Summit in San Diego, Calif. on Thursday, Dec. 15, Sung-Hoon Hong, vice president of Samsung Electronics, unveiled the company’s plans to develop new virtual reality headsets: one headset, most likely called Gear VR 3, “will be presented in a short time,” and the other will build upon technology seen in devices like Magic Leap, Microsoft’s HoloLens, and the newly produced Bridge VR by San Francisco-based tech start-up Occipital. According to Sung-Hoon, “Samsung is building two VR engines.” As expected, details were sparse and as vague as possible, but Samsung’s vice president ardently spoke about the company’s move into the augmented reality space, saying, “AR has much better business development for Samsung. That’s what we are aiming for.”
Magic Leap had a rough startup (the start-up had a rough startup, get it?) as top executives left the company, leaving it almost entirely aimless in its struggle to find meaning in an otherwise bleak venture in technology. As Hong reflected on the litany of troubles facing the plagued tech company, he posited that all is not lost and that Samsung’s AR glasses will build upon lessons from prototypes by Microsoft HoloLens and the failings of Magic Leap. (Magic Leap is still a registered company, though in the six years it’s been established — the company was founded by Rony Abovitz, co-founder of the now closed surgical robotic arm manufacturing company MAKO Surgical Corp. in 2010 — it has yet to release a product in the market. The company raised $1.4 billion from a list of investors including Google and a few others.)
As Rebecca Paredes, a writer for Wearable Zone , wrote in a post published on Dec. 15, “There are four levels of augmented reality technology, Sung-Hoon explained. Samsung is aiming for level three: technology that allows users to interact with virtual experiences in the real world. It’s like playing Pokemon Go and finding Pikachu in a tree — but you’re able to move the leaves of the tree aside to reach Pikachu, Sung-Hoon explained.” In other words, it seems Samsung wants to create a sort of mixed reality experience, where wearers of the headset (or glasses or whatever they’ll be) will be able to see the real-world interact with the virtual world and can manipulate both.
Sung-Hoon continues, “My team is developing a light field engine,” which, Paredes claims, could be used in conjunction with Samsung’s holographic technology. “Samsung’s hologram technology is really, really realistic. It looks really touchable.” (Again, creating a mixed reality experience seems to be Samsung’s new game plan.) There also may be a possible partnership between Samsung and Magic Leap, as Sung-Hoon said, “There is a possibility to partner there.” Leave it up to Samsung’s magic to leap in and save Magic Leap.
Virtual reality has become a hot commodity in recent years, with a plethora of already-established companies entering the throes of the new frontier in technology. Microsoft, Sony, Samsung, and new companies Magic Leap and Occipital are all looking to get a piece of the advancement in technology. Mixed reality and augmented reality are potentially the next waves in technology’s future, and it makes sense for Samsung, a technology giant, to move into that space.
During the keynote, one theme became prevalent as Sung-Hoon Hong delivered his address: the company wants to speak to people, startups, and established companies who are either founded upon (think Occipital) or making moves (think Microsoft) in augmented and virtual reality technology. “We really want your help. If there are any good ideas to make AR glasses, we want to talk to you.”
Be sure to read the entire write-up over at Wearable Zone .
[Featured Image by Gabriel Grams/Getty Images for Samsung]