Samsung Electronics XR ‘Infinity’ Surpasses Apple Vision Pro’s Limits

Apple Vision Pro’s Failure, Samsung’s New Opportunity

Apple’s XR device “Vision Pro,” released in February 2024, drew great attention at first but ultimately fell short of expectations. With a hefty price tag of $3,500 (about ₩4.9 million) and a weight of 600 grams, it was shunned by consumers. First-year sales reached only 400,000–500,000 units—about half of Apple’s original target of 800,000.

This outcome not only revealed the market potential of XR but also clarified what is required for mass adoption.

Samsung Electronics thoroughly analyzed this market reaction. The company concluded that merely showcasing technological superiority through a premium strategy isn’t enough—what truly matters is creating an XR device people want to wear.

‘Infinity’: A Rational Price Targeting the Mass Market

Samsung’s first XR device, “Infinity,” set to debut in October 2025, is expected to retail in the upper ₩2 million range. This is roughly half the price of the Vision Pro, signaling Samsung’s focus on lowering the entry barrier to popularize XR.

The initial production volume will be around 100,000 units, with plans to expand based on market response.

Industry experts estimate that an XR platform needs to sell over 10 million units annually to establish itself. Samsung’s pricing strategy prioritizes ecosystem expansion over immediate profitability, positioning it as a decisive factor in the early stages of XR market competition.

Ultra-High-Resolution OLEDoS Display: “Immersion Without Dizziness”

“Infinity” features an OLEDoS panel that delivers 4K resolution and an ultra-dense 3,800 ppi display—surpassing the Vision Pro’s 3,391 ppi. The higher pixel density offers a more natural and vivid visual experience, significantly reducing motion sickness during use and enhancing immersion.

Roh Tae-moon, President of Samsung’s DX Division, stated:

“Infinity maximizes realism by improving both display quality and sensor accuracy. Through multimodal AI, it renders external scenes as if viewed with the naked eye.”

Open Platform Strategy: Accelerating XR Ecosystem Growth

Samsung chose an open strategy to accelerate XR ecosystem expansion. Unlike Vision Pro, which is confined within Apple’s closed ecosystem, “Infinity” broadens its scope through collaboration with Qualcomm and Google.

It is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset, runs on Google’s Android XR operating system, and supports Google’s generative AI “Gemini.”

An open platform encourages participation from global developers, accelerating the accumulation of apps and content. This allows users to enjoy a wider range of services and positions Samsung favorably in the XR ecosystem race.

A Turning Point for the XR Industry: Samsung ‘Infinity’s Challenge

According to the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade, Korea currently holds only 2.6% of the global XR market share. However, the entry of major corporations into XR devices is expected to boost this figure.

The XR industry thrives on the synergy between hardware, components, software, content, and service platforms. Samsung’s “Infinity” has the potential to drive the full-scale expansion of this XR value chain. As Samsung seeks its next growth engine beyond the smartphone era, all eyes are on whether its ambitions in XR will bear fruit.

Tech Insider Columnist ㅣㅣThe Korea Metaverse Journal

tlswnqor@naver.com