Samsung is taking a step up from its previous headset with the announcement of its new mixed reality headset, called HMD Odyssey. According to Samsung, the device will combine augmented reality and virtual reality into a cohesive experience. The new mixed reality headset will be available for $499 on November 6, with pre-orders already available in the United States.
Samsung’s new HMD Odyssey will also be up for grabs for markets such as Korea, Hong Kong, China, and Brazil later this year. According to Samsung Mobile Press, the device features a dual 3.5-inch AMOLED display with 1,440 x 1,600-pixel resolution.
The South Korean tech firm claimed that the headset is designed to be a plug and play gadget.
Headset powered by Microsoft's Windows Mixed Reality platform
The HMD Odyssey headset will come along with two motion controllers. The device features an integrated AKG headphones with spatial audio support, Windows Central reported. Samsung’s new device will be one of the new virtual reality headsets to be powered by Microsoft's Windows Mixed Reality platform. This version of Windows software is designed to run on virtual reality when linked to compatible Windows devices, such as laptops and PCs.
Device with built-in microphones
Just like other headsets that run on Microsoft's software, Samsung’s new device will arrive with inside-out tracking, which means users can track a wearer's motion in space without setting up an external camera.
The HMD Odyssey also comes along with built-in microphones for communicating with the Cortana digital assistant.
Samsung already rolled out its Gear VR, which runs on the Oculus platform, and the device is said to be the most popular VR headset. Nonetheless, the HMD Odyssey appears to be the tech company’s first premium headset that is fully equipped to compete with top-notch VR gadgets.
Samsung's decision to roll out a VR headset on the platform of Microsoft appears to indicate the complexities that emerge as major firms compete to generate virtual reality’s operating systems. The company’s premium Odyssey variant and its affordable virtual reality headset will run on different platforms, which means the app selection and user interface will vary between the Gear VR and the new HMD Odyssey.
Microsoft will launch its 20,000 mixed-reality app catalog on October 17. The applications will be compatible with several of the company’s affiliated headsets, which include HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset and Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset, among others.
