Samsung’s Latest AR Moves; Microsoft’s Potent App Store Promises

Gadget hounds more or less knew what to expect from Samsung’s first big event of the year yesterday: new phones and tablets under the Galaxy brand. Compared to Apple and even Google with its refresh of the Pixel phone last year, Samsung isn’t pitching its phones on the merits of AR all that hard—but that doesn’t mean the company’s interest in immersive tech is waning.

Based on a recent investment in waveguide makers DigiLens, reporting around a partnership with Microsoft and past R&D leaks, it seems like Samsung could break its silence on AR glasses plans sooner rather than later. Here’s a quick look at other areas where Samsung has been putting money into AR and the metaverse, starting with a deal announced today for the acquisition of automotive tech firm Apostera: