Sony Unveils ‘XYN’ Standalone MR Headset Prototype for Creatives; Release Date and Pricing Yet to Be Announced

Sony has unveiled a fresh prototype of its earlier announced XR standalone device designed for enterprise use. This new project, going by the codename ‘XYN,’ is aimed at creators eager to produce spatial content.

Just a heads-up from a recent update—originally, we hinted that this XYN model might just be a rebranded version of Sony’s SRH-S1 for enterprise use. However, new insights suggest it’s a prototype brimming with unconfirmed features. Big thanks to Antony Vitillo from Skarred Ghost for setting the record straight. You’ll find the new, improved details below.

Initially presented at CES last year, this enterprise-focused headset now seems to have a new spin. XYN, pronounced ‘zin,’ looks like it offers some standout features, including state-of-the-art display capabilities delivering 13.6MP (3,552 × 3840) per eye through Sony’s proprietary ECX344A OLED microdisplays.

Previously, Sony’s SRH-S1 was marketed as a “content creation system,” boasting a display prowess of 90 FPS and 1,000 nits (at a 20% duty cycle), coupled with 96% DCI-P3 color coverage. This puts it ahead of even the Apple Vision Pro concerning resolution and color fidelity.

Although Sony hasn’t spilled all the beans regarding specifics, XYN seems to be a prosumer twist on the Sony SRH-S1. According to Antony Vitillo from Skarred Ghost, who got some hands-on experience, it shares features like mixed reality, 4K per-eye displays, a convenient flip-up design, and the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen2 chipset.

Speaking from firsthand experience with the SRH-S1, the headset brings comfort, an intuitive flip-up design, and crystal-clear display quality to the table. However, the stylus-ring controller setup didn’t track well during the demo, and the content seemed ill-suited for its internal Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset.

What’s still hanging in the balance are juicy details like pricing and launch dates, leaving us somewhat puzzled. Antony reports that ‘XYN’ is merely a codename and that we are still dealing with a work-in-progress prototype.

What we do know for sure is that the XYN Motion Studio PC companion software will be released in March 2025. This software supports connections with up to 12 ‘mocopi’ sensors for a more streamlined motion capture process.

Additionally, Sony is rolling out its XYN Spatial capture solution. This tech wizardry transforms photos taken with a mirrorless camera and special algorithms into pristine, photorealistic 3D CG assets.

The headset is also said to be compatible with a wide array of third-party tools, per XYN’s press release. Don’t expect it to battle it out with Quest on the more budget-friendly end of the spectrum, though. Sony’s standalone is aimed squarely at creators and professional users. In a distinctive touch, XYN comes in a sleek black, contrasting with the more industrial grey of the enterprise-focused SRH-S1.