Samsung’s mixed reality headset designed for Windows computers is real, as suggested by its listing in the database of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) which was spotted on Thursday. The product was certified by the agency bearing the model number AA-HC1HULB, with this particular mark being attached to what Samsung refers to as the “SAMSUNG HMD Odyssey Controller Left.” A top-down photograph of the controller pulled from the FCC’s database can be seen below, whereas “HMD” is likely an acronym for a head-mounted display, more commonly called a headset. Each controller is equipped with a 190mAh battery and was manufactured in China, presumably together with the headset itself, the listing claims.
The name “Odyssey” isn’t a new one, with the moniker circulating the industry since the summer of 2016 and industry insiders previously associating it with a standalone virtual reality headset. The South Korean original equipment manufacturer trademarked the term “Samsung Odyssey” in several jurisdictions last year but contrary to previous reports, the firm is now said to be preparing to launch a headset meant to be used with Windows 10 computers instead of a completely standalone device. The head-mounted display leaked in several high-resolution renders earlier this week but no firm details about its potential availability have been provided by the source, with some industry watchers speculating about whether the device even exists. Those questions have now seemingly been answered, with sources further speculating that the Samsung Odyssey will be officially unveiled at some point next month. Samsung’s yearly developer conference is taking place in San Francisco this October and will be preceded by Microsoft’s latest Mixed Reality hardware event on Tuesday, October 3rd, with both of those happenings being seemingly apt opportunities for the Samsung Odyssey to be announced.
The product itself will supposedly boast integrated headphones made and tuned by AKG, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics-owned Harman International Industries which already contributed to the development of several Galaxy-branded devices like the Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy Tab S3, and the Galaxy S8 lineup. The launch of the Samsung Odyssey will mark Samsung‘s first major VR move made without Oculus, the maker of the Rift HMD and Facebook’s subsidiary whose technology is powering the Gear VR headset series.