Xreal on Tuesday announced a set of so-called “extended reality” glasses that run Google’s Android XR software, as the companies look to take on Meta and Apple in a new arena.
Xreal, a Chinese company backed by Alibaba, calls its glasses Project Aura and describes them as a lightweight extended reality — or XR — product.
Android XR, Google’s operating system for these products, was launched last year and is infused with its AI assistant Gemini.
Xreal’s Project Aura is the second device announced that will operate on Android XR, and it is the first such device in the glasses format.
For Google, the more devices that run Android XR, the more appealing it will be for developers to build apps for the operating system.
As the companies aim to compete with Apple and Meta in a new market, Xreal announced a pair of so-called “extended reality” glasses on Tuesday that run Google’s Android XR software.
Similar to how Android has become the standard operating system for the majority of smartphones, the launch represents an early step by Alphabet’s Google to become a major operating system for future virtual and augmented reality smart glasses and headsets.
Alibaba-supported Chinese company Xreal refers to its glasses as Project Aura and calls them a lightweight extended reality, or XR, device. A wide range of technologies that combine the real and virtual worlds are included in the term “XR.”.
Last year saw the release of Android XR, Google’s operating system for these devices, which includes its AI assistant Gemini.
Samsung’s Project Moohan, a headset that aims to compete with Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro, was the first Android XR-powered gadget to be revealed. Samsung intends to release the device this year.
The second gadget that has been revealed to run Android XR is Xreal’s Project Aura, which is also the first of its kind to be available as glasses.
The technology, which was revealed at the Google I/O conference, has not received many details. The glasses will feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR chips, which are specifically made for these devices, according to Xreal.
In order to function, the glasses will be “tethered,” which means they will be connected to another device, according to Xreal. Details about what the glasses must be connected to have not yet been released by the company.
The startup has previously released products with its own chips, operating system, and second device. Qualcomm semiconductors and Google software will now be used more frequently in Project Aura.
Not immediately known were Project Aura’s budget and schedule. Prior to releasing a consumer product, Xreal is probably going to release a headset for developers to begin testing and creating apps.
According to Google, developers will find it more attractive to create apps for Android XR if there are more devices running the operating system. The caliber of user apps is a major factor in the success of any operating system.
In addition to marketing its products, Xreal will have access to the newest XR technology thanks to its early partnerships with Google and Qualcomm.
With the introduction of Project Aura, Meta and its ongoing efforts to launch the Meta Ray-Ban product, as well as companies like Snap, which last year unveiled a new pair of its Spectacles, will face more competition.
Additionally, glasses provide a substitute for heavy headsets. Extended reality is viewed by tech behemoths like Apple and Meta as a possible new computing paradigm.
