The XR Weekly Update (March 31, 2025): Samsung Might Debut XR Glasses This Year, Vivo Unveils Vision Headset, and More!

The final day of March dawns bright and beautiful. I’ve just wrapped up a project, making it the perfect time to dive into this week’s captivating AR and VR news. And of course, we can’t ignore the buzz surrounding all things "Studio Ghibli" and AI.

Biggest Highlights of the Week

Samsung May Reveal XR Glasses Later This Year

Word from Korea’s ETNews suggests Samsung is gearing up to present XR glasses by the end of the year. It’s still uncertain if these are AR glasses or smartglasses, but they’re reportedly designed for comfort and equipped with cameras and sensors for tracking. Named ‘Haen,’ meaning ‘coast’ in Korean, these glasses aren’t the first XR project hinted by Samsung. The tech giant seems set for a comeback, possibly showcasing both Project Moohan (MR headset) and these XR glasses this year. If all goes as planned, 2025 might mark the grand return of Samsung to the XR realm.

Vivo’s Vision Headset Announcement

In a significant move, Vivo, a leader in the smartphone industry, has announced its own mixed reality headset—echoing designs quite similar to the Vision Pro, right down to the name, "Vivo Vision." While the full details are scarce, the official unveiling is set for mid-2025. It’s exciting to see another major player entering the XR scene.

Meta’s Insights on Quest Users’ Preferences

Recently, I shared insights from Chris Pruett’s GDC talk, shedding light on Quest’s shift towards a free-to-play ecosystem due to its appeal to younger audiences. Revisiting this segment via a Meta blog post, I discovered an intriguing observation: a growing segment of adult VR users who primarily enjoy media consumption over gaming. These are men in their 30s, often not hardcore VR enthusiasts but willing to invest in high-quality media experiences. As these users grow in number, Meta predicts they’ll play a significant role in the Quest ecosystem by 2027. This trend hints at Meta’s potential focus on media optimization in Quest 4, competing directly with Apple’s Vision Pro. For developers like myself, this evolving user base prompts a reevaluation of where to channel creative energies in such a dynamic market.

Apple’s Upcoming WWDC and visionOS 3 Unveiling

Mark your calendars for June 9th, when Apple hosts its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Speculation is rife that Apple will reveal visionOS 3, ushering in exciting innovations for Vision Pro. However, with WWDC overlapping with AWE, juggling both events will be quite a challenge.

Shipping News: Pimax Crystal Super and PlayStation Spring Sale

Pimax is set to begin shipping its Crystal Super headset on April 7—a wide-FOV, high-resolution device that’s arrived right on schedule. Meanwhile, Sony’s PlayStation Spring Sale runs until April 23, featuring a myriad of games, including titles for PlayStation VR2 like Alien: Rogue Incursion and Metro Awakening.

The Polys Recognizes the Best in WebXR

The Polys celebrated its fifth edition by honoring outstanding WebXR achievements—a tech with immense potential still in its infancy. Big applause to the organizing team for highlighting the importance of WebXR. Discover this year’s winners by checking out the link provided.

Question About Valve’s Role in the XR World

David Heaney delivers a thought-provoking editorial questioning Valve’s XR strategy—or lack thereof. Since releasing ‘Alyx’ five years ago, Valve has not made significant gaming strides in VR. Despite its budget and stake in Steam’s VR library, Valve’s silent stance perplexes and warrants more scrutiny from the community.

Exciting Camera Access Developments

The release of camera access on Quest is sparking innovative projects. I’ve come across a neat tool allowing for real-world element copy-pasting into your Quest. Another developer created dynamic lighting effects for virtual environments. Notably, I’ve developed a vision filter system preserving depth perception. Explore these fascinating experiments by following the links.

Exclusive Content Releases

1. ILM and Lucasfilm’s new Star Wars mixed reality game, "Star Wars: Beyond Victory," is in the pipeline, exclusive to Quest devices.
2. "Hitman World of Assassination" debuts on PlayStation VR2 as a positive-reviewed DLC.
3. Meta has pulled the plug on the VR version of System Shock 2 while a remaster is underway for its anniversary.
4. An anticipated RoboCop VR game has hit a roadblock due to licensing issues.

Exciting New Releases and Updates

• HARD BULLET is making its way to Quest 3 this spring.
• Orion Drift introduces a fresh ‘Capture the Beacon’ mini-game.
• Inspiration from "Avatar: The Last Airbender," Elements Divided is set for release on April 23rd.
• Major 2.0 update for Onward is live.
• No Man’s Sky: RELICS introduces alien paleontology.
• F1 25 with optional VR support is releasing on May 30th.
• Out of Sight VR sees its Steam debut on May 22.
• Vertigo 2: Into the Aether experiences a slight delay until April 25.
• Resist enters PlayStation VR2 on April 10.
• Zombie Army VR launches on May 22.
• An upgrade for Into Black is in the works for PlayStation VR2.
• TimeLab VR will explore the Hindenburg tragedy.
• Death Game Hotel will go free-to-play starting April 10.
• Rezzil unveils its fast-paced title Hexball.
• Upload VR continues to deliver comprehensive XR news updates.

Detailed Content Reviews

1. Pinball FX VR effectively recreates the pinball experience in both MR and VR.
2. Boxed Out cleverly balances challenge with accessibility—an engaging Tetris-inspired puzzle.
3. Final Fury promises immersive fight sequences delivering an embodied experience.
4. Although still developing, Roboquest VR is shaping up as a strong adaptation of its flatscreen counterpart.

Additional Highlights

• Infinite Reality’s acquisition of Napster aims to birth a musical social platform featuring virtual concerts.
• Horizon OS might soon enable Quest users to share 2D windows, adding social interaction.
• Pico 4 Ultra’s uprade elevates features, including a 3D photo conversion.
• A sneak peek at a VR experience simulating luxury home tours in a vast warehouse.
• Cyan, the developer behind ‘Myst,’ faces team reductions, affecting its output.
• Sony’s new Ocellus system enhances camera tracking for virtual production sets.
• A Reddit inquiry exposes a male-focus in adult XR content, spotlighting women’s interest in the medium.
• Introducing an AI model from Meta Reality Labs creating mini volumetric worlds from images

Partner News and XR Humor

Take a ride on Chrono Craft—a clever immersive bus tour in Beijing’s Yuanmingyuan Park, transforming the window view with AR magic.

For a touch of humor, check out videos pondering why we might hesitate to humanize robots, the Studio Ghibli AI frenzy, and VR’s unexpected perks. Links attached for your amusement.

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