Samsung Electronics' coming extended reality headset will focus on a multimodal experience centred on voice as it prepares to enter its newest hardware category later this year, a senior executive has said.
The company is in no rush to release the device dubbed Project Moohan in a category that has yielded mixed results for even the biggest technology companies, said Hyesoon Jeong, executive vice president, and head of framework research and development at Samsung Electronics.
In XR, multimodal interaction includes voice commands, hand gestures, eye tracking, haptics and controller inputs. In more advanced cases, brain computer interfaces can be used.
Project Moohan, which is being developed in partnership with Google, was teased at January's Unpacked in California. Ms Jeong had previously told The National that it might not be released this year, but Google, at its I/O conference in May, announced that it will be available by the end of 2025.
“For XR, we are already developing the UI [user interface] and it will be applied and moving forward” while the hardware is being built, she said at a round-table on the sidelines of Galaxy Unpacked in Brooklyn on Wednesday.
“The interface we will develop [will be] more say voice centric and multimodal; that's the direction that we will go,” she added, without specifying what interactions will be included in Project Moohan.
Samsung's jump into the XR realm will pit it against some of the tech industry's top names in an increasingly crowded sector.
It is already well positioned to do so being the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer and a top chipmaker.
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, already has its Meta Quest line-up of AR headsets and teamed up with Ray-Ban to launch smart glasses, while Microsoft already has its HoloLens. Apple, Samsung's biggest rival in smartphones, has the high-end Vision Pro, which has since been discontinued.
Another advantage Samsung enjoys is its extensive partnership with Google, allowing it to tap into the Alphabet-owned company's major generative artificial intelligence platform, Gemini – and AI itself is a critical factor in the development of advanced XR systems.
For Google, it could be an opportunity to redeem itself from the failure of its Project Iris and, most notably, Google Glass, its first major attempt to bring the device into the mainstream that struggled with a number of problems and a hefty $1,500 price tag.
Google's Gemini was chosen by Samsung as its main generative AI partner over other platforms such as Microsoft's Copilot because of its “openness”, Ms Jeong said.
California-based Google is the developer of the Android operating system used in Samsung smartphones and is the owner of some of the most used apps globally, including Gmail and YouTube, in which Gemini is integrated.
“We thought that [Gemini] was optimised for the mobile environment. That's why we went with Gemini,” Ms Jeong said.
“Galaxy AI pursues openness, therefore, based on that philosophy, we continuously look at user needs and are always open to adopt to what users call for.”
'Respect' for user app preferences
Meanwhile, Samsung said it will maintain the presence of its native apps on its devices despite the dominance of Google's Gemini-backed services out of “respect” for user preferences, Ms Jeong said.
A number of apps that are pre-installed on Samsung phones perform the same tasks such as Google's; for example, Samsung Internet, Samsung Music and Samsung Gallery are equivalent to Chrome, YouTube Music and Google Photos.
Samsung apps cannot, however, be considered as bloatware, which are apps that are unnecessary or hinder performance, as they are part of the Galaxy Ecosystem that connects the company's devices, similar to the interconnectivity of Apple's hardware and software.
Samsung also has its own Galaxy Store where users can download apps specifically programmed for the company's devices; Ms Jeong said Samsung has a substantial number of users tapping into their native apps, hence the reason they will stick to this strategy.
“There are other instances though where we have to respect the choice of consumers, as well and their feedback,” she said.
“There are still many people who use Samsung [apps] … we try to respect and give options when needed.”
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
The Saudi Cup race card
1 The Jockey Club Local Handicap (TB) 1,800m (Dirt) $500,000
2 The Riyadh Dirt Sprint (TB) 1,200m (D) $1.500,000
3 The 1351 Turf Sprint 1,351m (Turf) $1,000,000
4 The Saudi Derby (TB) 1600m (D) $800,000
5 The Neom Turf Cup (TB) 2,100m (T) $1,000,000
6 The Obaiya Arabian Classic (PB) 2,000m (D) $1,900,000
7 The Red Sea Turf Handicap (TB) 3,000m (T) $2,500,000
8 The Saudi Cup (TB) 1,800m (D) $20,000,000
MATCH INFO
Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
KINGDOM%20OF%20THE%20PLANET%20OF%20THE%20APES
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wes%20Ball%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Owen%20Teague%2C%20Freya%20Allen%2C%20Kevin%20Durand%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
