Samsung looks beyond the Galaxy S23 to make "extended reality" devices - The Washington Post

Comment on this storySAN FRANCISCO — For the most part, Samsung Electronics is staging its Unpacked product launch event in Northern California to reveal a trio of new Galaxy S23 smartphones, plus a handful of laptops.

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said at the launch event that with the shared expertise from its partners, “we have the foundation to make these opportunities a reality and drive the future of the spatial internet."

Creating reasons to use — and continue using — these kinds of extended reality devices is arguably more important than word of a new gadget, which is why Samsung played up its partnerships instead of a concrete product announcement at its launch event.

That product — a reportedly pricey mixed reality headset — is said to track hand and body movement, as well as offer immersive visuals that can fade into a view of the real world, according to Bloomberg News.

Although much of the extended-reality hype has been focused on Meta and Apple, a tie-up of three companies with collective expertise in screens, software and chip design may help this new endeavor find its footing in a soon-to-be crowded market.

Smartphone shipments shrank by 12 percent globally in 2022, according to the research firm Canalys, and depressed demand for consumer gadgets recently led to Samsung’s lowest quarterly profit in years.