Samsung has been reportedly working on a standalone VR headset for almost as long as that foldable smartphone rumored to be finally making progress, but plans may have changed at the eleventh hour.

Instead of doing its own thing or collaborating with Facebook-owned Oculus on a significantly higher-end, untethered version of the Gear VR, the world’s largest smartphone vendor might be looking to join forces with a former rival.

Of course, Samsung and Microsoft have already jointly developed the PC-reliant HMD Odyssey, which is arguably the best Windows Mixed Reality headset available at the moment.

The same MR technology could power Samsung’s unnamed “cordless and high-priced” headset, presumably in an evolved form better combining the strengths and capabilities of VR and AR.

Berlin’s IFA 2018 exhibition in late August feels like the perfect arrangement for an official announcement, and naturally, Samsung is expected to use its own processor, OLED display and sensors in conjunction with Microsoft’s software platform.

Oculus and HTC have already paved the way for a new wave of “all-in-one” immersive headsets, targeting lower price points and wider audiences than what Samsung is probably considering with less advanced technology. Apple has something big and potentially game-changing in the pipeline as well, although if the company’s secret AR project is indeed as ambitious as they say, it likely needs far more time to commercially materialize.