Just like with AI, it seems like whether you hate them or love them, smart headsets, VR, XR, and all of that jazz, will become a real everyday thing, even if they’re not quite there at the moment. I don’t particularly think I’m ready for XR to become a part of my daily life, but I can certainly appreciate how cool the concept is.
Google isn’t thinking the way that I am though, and it seems like the tech giant is ready for XR to be taken very seriously. The company has just announced a brand-new software platform—Android XR—and with Gemini in tow, it looks like proper science-fiction magic.
Here Comes Android XR: Google Is Betting Big On The Future Of Smart Headsets And Glasses
I think the first major entry into the XR/AR space was Google Glass many years ago. It was an awesome concept, I remember thinking that back then, but it just didn’t seem like the right time for such a product. It never really blew up beyond extreme tech enthusiasts. However, these days, with AI making human-computer interaction so much more seamless, there’s never been a better time.
That’s why Google has chosen now to announce its Android XR operating system for headsets and glasses, developed alongside Samsung. Think of this as the entryway for Apple Vision Pro-type products, except for the people who’d rather perish than utter the word “Apple”.
Android XR Will Make A Lot Of Real World Scenarios A Lot More Convenient To Navigate
Think about it. The major reason you bring your smartphone out with you every day is because it makes your life easier in so many domains. It becomes easier to communicate with people you know, find your way around a city or town, understand the world around you, and simply entertain yourself. The whole purpose of XR gadgets is to attach that functionality directly into your vision; a step up from smartphone convenience.
Android XR will do that, with Google demonstrating the magic it’ll be able to bring to the table. You will be able to watch videos on YouTube on a virtual screen projected into your visual field, have real-time navigation instructions plastered in front of you with Google Maps, multitask with Google Chrome windows, and even Circle to Search on real objects or use Gemini to translate things around you.
And the very best part about Android XR is that underneath it all, it is the Android that we all know and love, so all of those Android apps that we can’t help but use every day will be supported straight away.
Samsung’s Project Moohan Will Bring The Very First Android XR Product To Market
Android XR was developed in partnership with Samsung, a very usual partner of Google in some of its more recent software endeavors. Of course, that collaboration is for good reason, as Samsung wants to get its feet wet in that Android XR pond before any other manufacturer and it’s going to get exactly that.
Project Moohan, as it has been termed, will be the first product running Android XR, and we expect to see it arrive next year. Similar to the Galaxy Ring, we will likely get a little teaser of its existence at the end of Unpacked next month.