Obsessed with folding phones? South Korean media said that Samsung lags behind its competitors in the field of VR and other metaversms

South Korean media believe that Samsung's backwardness in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) is partly due to the company's "obsession" with folding machines.

According to the Korea Herald reported on Jan. 19, Samsung is clearly lagging behind in bringing augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) devices to market, in part due to the company's "obsession" with foldable smartphones.

South Korean media said that Samsung is still pushing for the development of foldable smartphones, but did not provide any information about the next "big thing" - the XR (Extended Reality) device that can log into the metaverse.

Rivals to Samsung, such as Apple, Microsoft, Meta and Sony, are developing or have launched XR headsets to guide users into the virtual world, but Samsung has been silent on its progress. It's unclear if the company is developing an XR device.

As a latecomer, Samsung, even when developing XR devices, the company lacks the content and platform to create a metaverse ecosystem.

"Big tech companies, not smartphone makers, are leading the way for XR devices because they have the necessary content and platform. Google has the Android operating system, Microsoft has the Xbox, and Sony has the PlayStation. Samsung's launch of the XR device is risky, so it has no choice but to stick with the foldable smartphone," said Kim Gwang-soo, an analyst at eBest Investment and Securities.

German market data firm Statista expects the global XR market to grow 10 times from $31 billion in 2021 to $300 billion in 2024. The number of XR devices increased from 10 million in 2021 to 70 million in 2025. Analysts predict that by 2030, XR devices are expected to partially replace PCs and smartphones as mainstream IT devices.

To capture the booming XR device market, Samsung made a belated investment in the DigiLens in November. DigiLens is a California-based XR equipment manufacturing company.

To stay relevant, Samsung may need to find an "XR partner" that owns content or platforms in exchange for its expertise in chips, such as the collaboration between Qualcomm and Microsoft. With experience in developing chips specifically for such devices, Qualcomm has partnered with Microsoft to enter the AR/VR space, and Qualcomm is now developing an AR chip specifically for Microsoft's AR glasses and helping it achieve thinner and lighter designs by reducing the energy requirements of chips. Samsung may seek a similar arrangement with another stakeholder.

In addition to VR/AR devices, Samsung is also expanding its influence in the metaverse.

Previously, Samsung Electronics USA has partnered with Ethereum-based metacostem platform Decentraland to open a virtual flagship store called the Samsung 837X. The company claims that it is one of the largest acquirers of branded land in the blockchain-powered metacosm of Decentraland.

Michelle Crossan-Matos, senior vice president of corporate marketing and communications at Samsung Electronics USA, once said: "Metacosm enables us to transcend physical and spatial boundaries and create unique virtual experiences that we wouldn't have been able to do without metacosm, innovation is in our DNA and we can't wait for you to discover this thriving virtual world." ”

In addition to the virtual flagship concept store, Samsung also showcased its meta-universe technology at the 2022 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, USA.

At CES 2022, Samsung launched the "Meta-Universe" concept of the online virtual exhibition hall "My House", a virtual digital home that can be accessed and customized through Zepeto, allowing users to experience Samsung's various brand new products online.

Zepeto is a face pinching app that came out in 2018, and its service is mainly to make 3D avatars, using AR technology to synthesize photos and virtual backgrounds, allowing users to virtually socialize through its SNS function.

Market research institute Canalys official website released a report on the 18th that in the fourth quarter of last year, Apple regained the first place with 22% of global smartphone shipments, Samsung followed Apple with a 20% market share, and Xiaomi ranked third with a market share of 12%.