Samsung’s Android XR Headset to Feature First-Party Motion Controllers and PC VR Streaming Support

Samsung is keeping the details under wraps when it comes to its newly announced Android XR headset, yet it has shared a couple of nuggets that are sure to excite VR enthusiasts and developers alike.

Dubbed ‘Project Moohan,’ this headset is set to be the pioneer device launching with Android XR sometime next year. During our exclusive preview, we experienced the headset using only hand-tracking and eye-tracking inputs. However, Samsung has confirmed that they are developing proprietary motion controllers that will be seamlessly compatible with Android XR.

Why is this significant? Well, it opens the door for a plethora of existing VR applications, traditionally reliant on motion controllers, to transition into the Android XR realm without needing to reinvent their core designs. Unlike Vision Pro, which currently lacks motion controller support and presents a challenge for most VR content to integrate with Apple’s XR platform, Samsung seems to be setting a more inclusive stage.

Although few specifics about the Project Moohan controllers have been released, Samsung assures us they’ll be ready by the headset’s 2025 launch. It’s still undecided, though, whether these controllers will be bundled with the headset or offered as optional purchases.

In another nod to current VR content, both Samsung and Google have confirmed that Android XR will facilitate some form of PC VR streaming on Project Moohan and other future headsets. This development means you’ll be able to stream VR content from a gaming PC to your headset, taking full advantage of SteamVR’s vast library for enhanced graphics and more modding capabilities.

That said, the specifics around this feature are a bit cloudy. We don’t know if Android XR will have native PC VR streaming functionalities, like the Quest, or merely provide a framework for third-party streaming apps. The latter seems more likely, especially given that Virtual Desktop—a popular third-party PC VR streaming app—is already gearing up for Android XR compatibility.

To dive deeper into what Android XR has to offer, take a look at the announcement article and catch our hands-on experience with Samsung’s latest headset.