There wasn’t any mention of Samsung getting into the Windows ‘Mixed Reality’ program when it was announced last year, which saw OEMs like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo tapped to create VR headsets around the same reference design. A recent leak however, showing a rendering of a Samsung-built VR headset emblazoned with a “Windows Mixed Reality” symbol, suggests otherwise.

Twitter user WalkingCat, known for diving into patents and leaking information on tech companies, tweeted out the pictures today with no other information attached.

If the images can be believed, Samsung will be the first to offer Rift-style integrated audio, a departure from other ‘Mixed Reality’ headset manufacturers as all of them currently offer models (launching holiday season) with AUX-in so you can bring your own audio. Integrated audio is supposedly from AKG, the Austrian microphone and headphone manufacturer owned by Samsung, lending credence to the images.

With as many Windows ‘Mixed Reality’ headsets there are available, the revelation that Samsung is making one too isn’t that far-fetched either. As a display manufacturer and producer of Gear VR, the company has been in the VR game for long enough for something like this to make sense.

Without much else to go on, we’ll just have to wait and see if the headset materializes, hopefully for holiday season like its supposed VR brethren.

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Scott Hayden
Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • MadridiCooL

    I wish Samsung do a Steam VR 4k headset next ;)

    • 12Danny123

      SteamVR is next to useless in terms of functionality.

      • Luke

        why? to me il looks the pillars actually. cross platform HMDs and control scheme compatibility, etc. etc… what do you suggest to get better?

        • 12Danny123

          because I think Samsung will likely be aiming for the PC and Xbox VR market. Which is very likely going to use these headsets.

        • While I totally disagree that SteamVR is next to useless because that is just one big ignorant statement (given that is very likely WindowsMR headset will use SteamVR (OpenVR) to run SteamVR games), I too believe that the WindowsMR platform will be dominant. Right now it is limited to two cameras but what will stop OEMs from building a headset that also has tracking cameras on the side and bottom front of the headset? That will essentially make tracking work fine in every blind spot. The reality is that we don’t need perfect tracking like valve’s solution. We need tracking that feels realistic and is consistent no matter how we move. The WindowsMR technology can do just that all without needing external trackers, making the headset more like a monitor or any other device that we use on our daily lives. Plug and play, then disconnect and put away without having to sacrifice room space or setup time. It just works. I feel like Valve’s tracking technology will not cease to exist but it will become an enthusiast product only while WindowsMR will *eventually* reach the masses and stay for a long time. I say eventually because I don’t think these headsets will be successful in this first iteration but I think upcoming iterations will be more successful as more cameras are attached to the headsets to cover a wider range of tracking, much higher resolution, increased field of view and as these type of headsets gain Xbox support.

          • Luke

            vr needs a standard but the microsoft monopolistic game isn’t even the answer. what if apple will make another vr standard for they own?

            imho this people all needs to meet at the round table and decide which are the standards of this monitor v2.0.

          • Cy James

            You would prefer for Apple to set the standard???

          • Luke

            if you go to the store and you buy an external monitor (is not important which brand and model) you can use it with apple, with pc, with playstation, with xbox, with dvd, with media center, this is because there is a common standard, this is because people had to sit at the round table to define those standards. Microsoft can’t decide the standards all alone and impose a monopoly. it doesn’t make a sense, it’s not logic, becuse it will not work with everything (every kind of device as actual monitors do).

          • Cy James

            Yes,but apple historically has been WAY WAY more restrictive and proprietary than Microsoft. I get why people don’t like Microsoft, 2 decades ago they were a monster. But I think people have allowed that hate to prevent them from realizing that the landscape has changed, and Apple allows way less autonomy than some of the other options.

          • Luke

            I don’t care about Apple it was a bad example.

      • lmaoDA

        TIL: The best VR platform is apparently useless.

  • JesperL

    Does any of the new upcoming VR headsets have anything to challenge Rift and Vive?

    • Sofian

      Resolution.

      • Xron

        Exclusives I guess… That we will see later on.

    • RFC_VR

      Higher resolution display, inside-out tracking, low minimum requirements, graphics and tracking scaling (ultra mixed reality) for higher specification machines. Simple plug and play into Windows 10 OS.

      Wide distribution through electrical retailers that sell Dell, Lenovo, HP, etc. Already seen pre orders pop up on UK retail websites, product available 17th October

      Good start, no doubt.

      • JesperL

        Still to me, the only relevant in that list, is a slightly higher resolution.
        I got a Vive and a top PC, so thes new hmd’s are not really for me.
        But its great they are out pushing VR forward for more ppl.

      • Adrian Meredith

        On the flip side though Worse tracking (can only track controllers when you’re looking at them), LCD screens, worse controllers windows 10 only

        • care package

          Worse tracking yes but they are using tricks that ‘assume’ the controllers position when out of camera view (probably based off tilt). When you have no external tracking devices to set up the drawback may be worth it. We shall see.

    • Joe Banes

      Other’s have mentioned some benefits based on the paper stats, but based on the people actually using them it sounds like Rift and Vive will stay on top quality wise, mainly due to issues with latency and ghosting on the new systems. They do have higher resolution, but apparently that isn’t enough to get them to dethrone the co-champs at the top. These previews were based on prototypes so only time will tell. The inside out tracking is actually an issue because it is not 360 like both Rift and Vive can do. If you put your hand behind you away from the front sensors on the HMD it will lose tracking. It will pick up instantly if you look back, but this requires making sure you are looking where the sensors in your hands are for them to be tracked. This is similar to mounting a Leap Motion to the front of an HMD for tracking hands. It’s a bit clunky to me, though I suppose you could get used to it. I like the more complete and natural freedom of the Vive or Oculus myself.

      BUT, I wish these headsets great success and will likely get one of them. Anything that pushes VR forward is good in my view. Let’s keep moving forward with the next generation. The price point though is outstanding, but that is only for entry level. Early word was there would be cheaper sets and more expensive sets that would give less or more features respectively. Though I’ve not seen tiered HMDs from these groups yet, so that may not end up being true. If they do better than Gear at their current price point they’ll offer competition just in the fact that they will be great entry-level HMDs. Having a set in between mobile and high end with a great price is actually a great market to be in in my opinion. We’ll see if the market agrees. Hehe.

      • JesperL

        Great post, thx.

      • care package

        Software supposedly uses tricks to assume position of controls when out of camera view. Probably based off tilt. Guess well find out.

      • Lucidfeuer

        That might change, specifically with this Samsung model as you can expect the screen and optics to be on par or up-standard from Rift/Vive given their past experiences.

  • kim jong un

    maybe they’ll make a game about being a slave master and whipping black people.

  • It would sound strange to me, but let’s see. Microsoft will hold an event on October, 3rd… maybe it will announce this headset.

  • Andrew Jakobs

    Wow, that one looks very good, I already know which one to buy if I’m gonna buy a MR headset.

  • GrangerFX

    The only thing that bothers me about this is that there are already enough mixed reality headsets with identical features. I sure wish Microsoft would allow a company to produced a MR headset with improved specs. Imagine if all computer screens had to be the same size and resolution.

    • VR Geek

      I agree. The MS HMD specs are not something that will make me want to upgrade from ViVe, but if the resolution was significantly better and a slightly wider field of view I would be much more interested.

      Edit: Oh and give us OLED Samsung too

  • oompah

    Great but I pray to samsung to keep it cheap
    OR ELSE…..

  • Joe Black

    Yep… VR HMD manufacturing and marketing will not be much different from how monitors are currently done. It is essentially just a fancy frame for an LCD screen.

    I think we should all thank Microsoft for their efforts to come up with a standard. Good job. I look forward to owning one of these HMDs.