After years of cautious development and incremental innovation, the spatial computing race has entered a new phase. With Apple’s second-generation Vision Pro powered by the new M5 chip, and Samsung preparing to unveil its long-awaited Project Moohan, the XR (Extended Reality) market is finally maturing into a serious next-generation computing platform.
Samsung Enters the Arena with Project Moohan
Samsung has officially announced a Galaxy Unpacked event for October 21st, where it will debut Project Moohan — the company’s long-rumored Android XR headset and a direct rival to Apple’s Vision Pro.
The short but exciting teaser promises to showcase great immersive experiences and unveil “the first official device on Android XR.” While Samsung hasn’t confirmed pricing or an official name, leaks from South Korea suggest a price range between $1,800 and $2,900 USD.
Early hands-on impressions from prototypes revealed premium specs: a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset, dual micro-OLED displays, pancake lenses, and automatic IPD adjustment, along with eye and hand-tracking, a magnetic light shield, and a removable external battery.
If true, Project Moohan may become the first Android-powered headset to rival Apple in both performance and design, signaling a major shift in how consumers access mixed-reality experiences.
Apple Doubles Down: Vision Pro (M5)
Not to be outdone, Apple has announced the Vision Pro (M5) — an upgraded version of its flagship headset. Built on a 3-nanometer M5 chip featuring a 10-core CPU and GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, Apple promises up to 50% faster AI performance and richer visual fidelity than its predecessor. Also comes with a Dual Knit Band which promises improved ergonomics, the new band is also available for purchase ($100) for using with the first generation Vision Pro.
The display now renders 10% more pixels and supports 120Hz refresh rates, all while improving battery life to 2.5 hours of general use or 3 hours of video playback. The headset ships with visionOS 26, which introduces widgets, enhanced Personas, spatial photo scenes, and expanded Apple Intelligence integration.
The Vision Pro (M5) will launch on October 22nd, starting at $3,500, maintaining Apple’s premium positioning. This is not a replacement for a MacBoock Pro, it’s a new even higher category of computers, something like the computer of the future. It’s no coincidence that the second generation of Vision Pro launches just one day after the first generation of Android XR.
The Vision Pro ecosystem is coming into its own, with a steady flow of third-party innovations and official releases that push the boundaries of what true immersion can feel like.
Expanding the Ecosystem: Controllers and Stylus
In addition to hardware, Apple is enhancing its input ecosystem. The new Logitech Muse stylus for Vision Pro, priced at $130, launches on October 22nd. Designed for creators and enterprise users, the Muse provides precision input for compatible apps like Crayon, doppl, and Sketch Pro.
Apple also confirmed official PSVR 2 controller support in visionOS 26, and for the first time, the controllers will be sold separately — a $250 package including a charging station available from November 11th. This move underscores Apple’s growing interest in positioning Vision Pro as both a productivity and gaming device.
Immersive Media Comes to Life: NBA and Apple Immersive
On the content front, Apple is leveraging its partnerships to make Vision Pro a true entertainment hub. Through a new deal with Spectrum SportsNet, Vision Pro users will soon experience NBA Los Angeles Lakers games in Apple Immersive, offering courtside-like views powered by the URSA Cine Immersive Live camera from Blackmagic Design.
The new Spectrum SportsNet app for Vision Pro will allow users to watch live games, replays, and highlights, with multiview features and real-time player stats available through the NBA app. Beyond sports, Apple continues to expand its Apple Immersive library with original productions such as Adventure, Metallica, VIP: Yankee Stadium, and Tour De Force, along with new collaborations from Red Bull, CANAL+, and the Audi F1 team, as we previously told you.
The Bigger Picture
With Apple refining its ecosystem and Samsung entering the market with a high-end Android XR device, the spatial computing era is poised for its most competitive year yet.
Apple continues to set the standard for hardware integration, ecosystem cohesion, and immersive content, while Samsung’s Android XR entry could bring long-needed diversity and affordability to the market. Pico 4 Ultra is an interesting affordable approach, but it won’t be available worldwide anytime soon.
If 2023 was about introducing spatial computing to the world, 2025 is about legitimizing it — not as a futuristic curiosity, but as the next evolution of personal computing.