Samsung’s Android XR Headset to Feature Proprietary Motion Controllers and PC VR Streaming Support

Samsung has recently unveiled its upcoming Android XR headset, “Project Moohan,” and while they’re keeping a tight lid on most details, there are two exciting confirmations for both VR veterans and developers that are causing a stir.

Come next year, Samsung’s Project Moohan will be the pioneering headset to embrace Android XR. During our exclusive hands-on session, the headset relied solely on hand-tracking and eye-tracking for input. Yet, Samsung is also working on its own motion controllers that Android XR will natively support. This decision is a game-changer: developers can transition their existing VR apps that depend on motion controllers to Android XR without having to overhaul the game design. In contrast, Apple’s Vision Pro doesn’t support motion controllers, complicating the process for developers wanting to bring popular VR games to Apple’s XR system.

Details about the Project Moohan controllers remain scarce at the moment. Samsung has promised they will be ready upon the headset’s debut in 2025. However, it’s still up in the air whether the controllers will be bundled with the headset or offered as a separate purchase.

Another exciting announcement: both Samsung and Google have confirmed that Android XR will feature some form of PC VR streaming on Project Moohan and future headsets. This means users can stream high-quality VR content from their gaming PCs directly to their headsets, tapping into the expansive library available on SteamVR, which often also includes enhanced graphics and extensive modding options.

While this sounds promising, the specifics are yet to be laid out. Whether “support” translates to a built-in PC VR streaming feature as seen with the Quest, or merely Google’s willingness to allow third-party PC VR streaming applications on the platform, is still to be clarified. Current signs suggest the latter, as Virtual Desktop, a popular third-party streaming app, is already in development for Android XR.

For those eager to dive deeper, don’t miss our announcement article and hands-on preview with Samsung’s newest headset.