Technologies

Samsung and Google Combine Forces in New Mixed Reality Partnership

Here’s what we think this new tech will bring.

This story is part of Samsung Event, CNET’s collection of news, tips and advice around Samsung’s most popular products.

Samsung made a lot of impressive announcements during its Galaxy S23 launch event last week. But an out-of-the-blue partnership with Qualcomm and Google on an upcoming mixed-reality platform certainly caught fans off guard. The new «XR» technology is an umbrella term for the intersection of AR, VR and mixed reality, or MR.

In a year that’ll see a new PlayStation VR headset, a new HTC Vive VR headset, a new Meta VR headset and likely a first-ever Apple VR headset, how will this Samsung product (or products) end up changing the game, and when could it arrive?

Samsung’s on-stage announcement was incredibly vague, with Google’s Hiroshi Lockheimer, head of Android, and Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon promising new hardware and software that’ll bring new experiences. But Samsung’s and Google’s histories in VR (and AR), along with Qualcomm’s major presence in the field, can point to some answers. So, too, can the last major Google and Samsung partnership two years ago, on smartwatches.

In 2021, Google’s partnership with Samsung began a rethinking of its smartwatch lineup, which also led to a Pixel Watch last fall. It’s likely that this new Samsung-Google-Qualcomm partnership could play out in a similar way in AR and VR. In this instance, though, both Google and Samsung will be making long-overdue returns to the VR/AR spaces they’ve both stepped away from for several years.

Here’s why Samsung and Google entering the field makes sense, and is even sorely needed.

VR and AR needs to work with phones again

VR goggles used to work with phones, half a decade ago. Back in the days of the Samsung Gear VR and Google’s Daydream View, you’d drop a phone into a cheap set of goggles that would use the device as a VR screen. It was a fun novelty back then, and greatly expanded access, but also had its limits. In 2023, oddly, VR headsets barely work with phones at all.

It’s annoying because most of us live our lives on our phones. VR, meanwhile, tends to stand alone. The Meta Quest 2 has slowly developed hooks into phones via its pairing app, but doesn’t have nearly enough cross-device intelligence.

Qualcomm has been trying to solve this idea already on its own. Via an early wave of AR glasses and certain Android phones, the company has been developing tools to bridge apps and experiences, and also have glasses directly connected to phones.

That’s a lot easier to do with official Android support. Google would enable that, and this Samsung-Qualcomm-Google partnership seems like a key to exploring how that would work with new VR headsets, or AR glasses, or both.

Right now, VR is the future. Then, AR

No one’s perfected AR glasses yet, although the hardware pieces are slowly coming together. In the meantime, standalone VR headsets using built-in cameras to show «passthrough» video of the real world, with virtual reality experiences overlaid, is the fastest solution to AR. It’s also called «mixed reality,» and it’s what the Meta Quest Pro does in some apps. Apple’s upcoming mixed reality headset should work the same way. HTC’s Vive XR Elite coming this February? Same thing.

I’d expect Samsung and Google to start with developing a similar lightweight VR headset with mixed reality features first, using similar Qualcomm chips as other hardware (or a next-gen chipset). After that, AR glasses.

Qualcomm has already promised a new generation of low-power wireless AR glasses that will work with next-gen phones over the next three years, using a new AR2 Gen 1 chipset announced last fall. Samsung’s Google partnership might also involve exploring how to build phones and glasses that could work together in the years to come.

Google’s already dipping its toes into assistive AR glasses research, and has a decade of experience in AR and VR before that. Samsung has all of its experience with the Gear VR and working with Oculus. Between the two, along with Qualcomm, it seems like there’s plenty of team wisdom.

A new OS (think smartwatches)

Evolving Android into a new software experience for VR and AR is the biggest challenge and opportunity, and it would make a ton of sense for Samsung to lean on Google here. VR headsets of the last five years have tried to go it alone with dedicated app stores, much like the Meta Quest. But the whole spirit of the idea of «the metaverse» is cross-device compatibility. And, in theory, easy app support.

Samsung shifted strategy on its watches by adopting Google’s WearOS as part of a partnership announced two years ago, aiming to bring Samsung’s watches closer to Google’s Android OS. But Samsung also helped Google think about higher-end health and hardware features to advance its aging smartwatch lineup. Which brings us to…

A road to Pixel hardware?

At some point, you’d imagine, Google will try to make its own AR/VR hardware again. The team behind Google’s Daydream, led by Clay Bavor, has shifted focus into Google Labs, working on more experimental projects like Project Starline (and those research-based assistive AR glasses).

It seems highly likely that the road to Google’s future XR hardware will run through Samsung in much the same way as smartwatches ahead of the Pixel Watch. The Galaxy Watch 4 became the first experiment in Wear OS 3, and then Google entered the waters over a year later with a Fitbit-infused Pixel Watch.

AR and VR headsets are significantly more complicated. Maybe Google waits a bit longer on a Pixel device. Maybe, as both Google’s Lockheimer and Qualcomm’s Amon seemed to suggest, there will be a variety of forms and possibilities, including some that aren’t headsets at all. Remember: Google’s idea of «ambient computing» involves immersive tech from every angle, including stuff that isn’t worn.

What year will this emerge?

That’s the hard question here. It seems likely that Google will dive into this partnership more at its I/O developer conference that usually happens in May, which would be right before Apple would likely go over its VR headset at WWDC. We haven’t seen any hint of any actual hardware yet. It’s not impossible that a standalone VR headset in the spirit of the Meta Quest could materialize sometime sooner than later, but it would be a huge surprise if anything arrived in 2023.

When Samsung and Google announced the Wear OS 3 partnership in 2021, it came with a teaser photo of the watch itself and a promise of hardware by year’s end. No such statements were made or shown this time and 2024 would seem like the earliest likely launch date.

And at any rate, 2023 is looking like a turbulent year for the greater XR world. While plenty of VR hardware is coming, it’s unclear who can actually afford it. For Samsung and Google, the best bet might be to wait out this crowded year and figure out how to make improved, possibly more affordable hardware in 2024.

Technologies

I Tried This $40 Smartwatch: It Was Meh, but Not a Complete Waste of Time

The WITHit Giga does the basics for a lot less, but at the expense of accuracy and attention to detail.

I wasn’t expecting much when I first strapped the WITHit Giga Smartwatch onto my wrist, and at least it delivered on that. This $40 smartwatch does the basics: shows notifications, counts your steps, tracks your heart rate (sort of) and lets you take calls from your wrist. But the execution of all these features is where it all starts to fall apart, and I found myself getting exactly what I paid for.

After spending a week testing it, I came away with this: If you just want a basic smartwatch that works with both Android and iPhone, tells the time, tracks your steps and surfaces notifications, this will get the job done, just don’t expect accuracy. But if you can stretch your budget even a little, something like the $75 Amazfit Bip 6 offers more accurate tracking, a more refined design and more reliable performance.

Design and UI: big, bulky, and basic

The WITHit Giga is about as no-frills as smartwatches come. It looks like an Apple Watch Ultra impersonator: metallic frame around a rectangular screen, rounded edges and even Apple Watch-like icons inside. But that’s where the similarities end.

If your wrist is on the smaller side like mine (I have a 6-inch wrist), brace yourself because this is going to look huge. The Giga’s 48.5mm case is overpowering, and there’s no smaller size option. On my wrist, it felt bulky and out of place, and the thick, textured silicone bands definitely didn’t help matters.

The 2.04-inch AMOLED display is decent with a 386×448 resolution, but the screen brightness isn’t adaptive. You’ll need to manually adjust it, which means it’s almost too bright at night and borderline unreadable in direct sunlight unless you increase the brightness manually.

This watch runs its own proprietary system, syncs to the WITHit app and works with both Android and iOS. You’ll get notifications, basic fitness tracking, an always-on display (which in my testing drained the battery fast) and a speaker/mic combo for answering calls.

The UI is straightforward but lacks polish. Swiping right opens your favorites and the side button lets you quickly launch a workout. Animations feel slow and longer text scrolls in awkwardly to fit the screen.

Battery life: Not bad but there’s a catch

Battery life is one of the few things that holds up well here. I got about three days of use with the raise-to-wake option, and roughly a day and a half with the always on display enabled. That’s not bad for the price, and it’s actually better than even some flagship smartwatches.

But the manual comes with a big red flag: «Avoid fast chargers» and don’t overcharge. That’s not something you want to see in 2025, especially because at this point in my smartwatch charger collection I don’t know which one is fast, and which one is not, and the vague warning makes me think it’s going to explode if I make the wrong choice. Charging from an empty battery to full takes about two hours with the included magnetic charger. But once I left it charging overnight and I approached it with terror the next morning thinking I’d broken the «don’t overcharge» rule. Luckily, I came out unscathed.

Health and fitness tracking: lower your expectations

Workout tracking and wellness is where the cracks really show. Yes, the Giga technically tracks heart rate, blood oxygen (SpO2), sleep, stress and menstrual cycles. But the accuracy is questionable at best.

During workouts, heart rate measurements were consistently off when compared to a chest strap and even other wrist-based trackers. The post workout HR average was close enough, but the metrics during the workout were noticeably off. For example, as I was sitting on my Pilates reformer (completely sedentary) starting a workout on the watch, the screen already read «100bpm», while the chest strap and Apple Watch had me at 65 bpm. This made me skeptical of even the resting heart rate readings.

Sleep tracking only works between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., meaning night shift workers or anyone with an irregular schedule (like this late-night writer) is out of luck.

Sleep stats are also confusing; instead of clear sleep stages or hours of sleep, you get odd comparisons like «fewer than 26% of people in your age group go to sleep this late.» Not exactly sure what I should do with this information.

Menstrual tracking is purely manual, based on averages, with no biological marker detection like temperature tracking. You can’t even log a period directly from the watch and have to do it from the app.

Other smartwatch features

Calls: As long as your phone is within range, you can answer and make phone calls from the watch with its speaker and mic, but clarity is an issue.
Texting: You can see texts from messaging apps, but you can’t reply or even send a prewritten response (when paired to an iPhone).
Voice Assistant: Technically available, but is basically just a shortcut to activate your own phone’s assistant. You tap, and Siri or Google Assistant opens on your phone, not the watch. Not helpful.
Quick settings: Save your recently used apps in quick settings, which actually made flipping between features like workouts and music controls more convenient — this is a win.

Should you buy it?

The WITHit Giga does the bare minimum you’d expect from a smartwatch, but at the expense of accuracy and attention to detail. For $40, it’s a functional notification mirror with step tracking, call support and a splash of health features (if you’re looking for a general overview at best).

But if you can stretch your budget, something like the $80 Amazfit Bip 6 offers far better value, accurate health tracking, cleaner UI and better battery life.

Bottom line: If you keep your expectations low, and you’re just dipping your toes in the smartwatch waters for the first time, this might suffice. Otherwise, it’s worth paying more for something that feels less like a toy and more like a tool.

Technologies

Xbox Game Pass Adds Grounded 2 and Others This Month

Game Pass subscribers will also be able to play the new 90s-inspired horror game Abiotic Factor.

The award-winning, quirky survival game Grounded is like the game version of the classic ’80s comedy film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. And Xbox Game Pass subscribers can get early access to that game’s sequel, Grounded 2, on July 29.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors’ Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and PC or mobile device for $20 a month. A subscription gives you access to a large library of games, with new ones, including Doom: The Dark Ages, added monthly, plus other benefits such as online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.

Here are the games Microsoft is bringing to Game Pass soon. You can also check out other games the company added to the service recently, like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4.

RoboCop: Rogue City

Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard subscribers can play now.

Serve the public, protect the innocent and uphold the law as the cyborg RoboCop. You’ll investigate crimes in Old Detroit before using your cyborg strength, cybernetic implants and arsenal of weapons to eradicate gangs from the area. This game is a whole new RoboCop story based on the film series, and Peter Weller, the original RoboCop himself, returns to voice the titular character.

My Friendly Neighborhood

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.

Something’s going on with everyone’s favorite Saturday morning puppet show, and it’s up to you to figure out what in this survival horror game. You’ll solve puzzles and use tools and improvised weapons to fend off your multicolored foes. So if you have anything against Barney or Big Bird, you can take out your feelings on them with this game.

Back to the Dawn

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.

This game is like if the series Prison Break took place in the Zootopia universe. You’ll play as either a fox named Thomas or a black panther named Bob as they try to navigate the prison system and escape with their lives. With multiple escape routes and over 100 quests you can complete, you can replay this game numerous times and have a different experience each time.

Abiotic Factor

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play on July 22.

Science meets violence in this 1990s-inspired sci-fi survival game. You and up to five other players can choose your areas of expertise, build your scientist and explore a massive, top-secret underground complex filled with artifacts and supernatural horrors that could tear you limb from limb. And remember, safety, security and secrecy are of the utmost importance… usually.

Wheel World

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play on July 23.

If you want to take a nice, relaxing bike ride, this game is for you. Previously known as Ghost Bike, this game puts you behind the handlebars of one of the last ghost bikes around. These bikes can traverse between the lands of the living and the dead. You can explore these lands at your leisure while you race other riders and upgrade your ride with treasures you find along the way.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play on July 24.

This souls-like RPG is set during the final days of the Ming Dynasty. You play as an amnesiac pirate warrior named Wuchang on a quest to uncover the truth behind a world full of chaos. You’ll fight monstrous creatures in forgotten temples and overgrown ruins, unlock new weapons and master devastating techniques in order to bring peace to yourself and others.

Grounded 2 (game preview)

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play on July 29.

You’ve been shrunk to the size of an ant — again — and you’ll have to survive the dangerous, miniature world. You’ll fight spiders and wasps, craft weapons and homes and even ride on your own insect friends to get around. You’ll unravel new mysteries along the way, but be careful. Something else is out there, and it hasn’t forgotten about you.

Farming Simulator 25

Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard subscribers can play on Aug. 1.

Farming isn’t always as simple as games like Stardew Valley might make it out to be, but it can still be very rewarding. If you want a taste of what goes into building and maintaining your own farm, give Farming Simulator 25 a try. You’ll grow diverse crops, raise different animals and with the weather-changing, ground-deforming atmosphere, you’ll face all kinds of challenges along the way.

Games leaving Game Pass on July 31

While Microsoft is adding those games to Game Pass soon, it’s also removing three other games on July 31. So you still have some time to finish your campaign or complete any side quests before you have to buy these games separately.

Gigantic: Rampage Edition
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank

For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass now, read our hands-on review of the gaming service and learn which Game Pass plan is right for you. You can also check out what to know about upcoming Xbox game price hikes.