By Kim Yoo-chul



Samsung Electronics is seeking a partnership with Microsoft (MS) related to hololens to sharpen its wearable technology, officials said.



"Samsung has been looking for opportunities to manufacture innovative, pioneering products. Hololens is a key technology for healthcare and medical devices," a source said Wednesday.



The two companies have bolstered their alliance in a diverse range of fields since they agreed to drop all legal disputes in return for pre-installing MS's Office programs on the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge smartphones.



The Redmond, Wash.-based MS has also offered to cut annual patent fees for Samsung.



Samsung has paid greater attention to MS-developed hololens technology, which is a combination of augmented and virtual-reality technology.



"By using hololens technology, for example, a doctor can check a patient's health status via a three-dimensional (3D) virtual image. Also, the technology will promote 3D rendering and 3D printing industries, helping manufacturers to save costs," another official said.



The collaboration between Samsung and MS in the hololens field will benefit both sides because Samsung has expertise in sensor chips and processors, while MS could establish an industry standard in hololens, officials said.



Samsung's Gear VR headset is supported by Oculus tech.



Experts say mobile devices with digital holograms controlled by gestures and speech recognition will be a genuine advance.



MS aims to leapfrog Apple and Google into the next generation of mobile technology. Its hololens is a self-contained computer, operating independently from any PC or smartphone.



Samsung is cutting its dependence on consumer electronics, which is volatile and cyclical, gradually shifting its focus toward its non consumer businesses.



Samsung earlier identified the business-to-business segment as one of its next cash-cows for corporate sustainability.



