Android XR: Everything you need to know

Tom's Guide

2 days ago

Android XR is Google's new AI-powered platform for powering a new wave of mixed reality headsets and smart glasses. The mixed reality platform has had a slow rollout so far, but we expect the first devices this year.
There aren't any devices powered by Android XR for sale yet, though Samsung is slated to be the first manufacturer out of the gate with its Project Moohan headset at some point in 2025.
A new pair of smart glasses is also on the way from Xreal called Project Aura.
Smart glasses and headsets are going to be a significant part of Google's future product lineup. Google will also fully integrate Gemini, its homegrown artificial intelligence, into this family of immersive devices. The Apple Vision Pro and visionOS should soon face stiff competition.
So what is Android XR, and how will it shape the next generation of AI-powered headsets and smart glasses? Here's what you need to know about Google's extended reality platform and when devices will be available.
Android XR is Google's new operating system for extended reality devices. It's intended for use with virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (XR) headsets, as well as smart glasses.
Android XR is part of the Android platform, which extends beyond smartphones to tablets, wearables, car dashboards and TVs.
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Android XR enables developers and device makers to utilize tools such as ARCode, Android Studio, Jetpack Compose, Unity and OpenXR to create specialized apps, games and other experiences within a development environment similar to the rest of the ecosystem.
Google is collaborating on the framework with key manufacturing players Samsung and Qualcomm.
Google has developed versions of its suite of apps for use on the XR platform. They include favorites like Google Photos, Google Maps, Chrome, and YouTube. That's just the start of the Google-led experiences that will be available at launch.
Extended reality is an umbrella term encompassing an immersive experience combining physical and digital components. The physical component is something you wear on your head or face, while the digital part refers to something like the heads-up display on a pair of smart glasses.
Android XR is not Google Glass, despite Glass being the predecessor. While it is an evolution of the initial platform launched in 2013, Android XR is an extension of the broader Android platform. Its existence should help expand Android's reach beyond phones, tablets, cars and TVs.
Android XR shares many similarities with Apple's visionOS on the Vision Pro, as well as Meta's extended reality offerings. Meta calls its software Horizon OS, which powers the Quest 3 and Quest 3S headsets.
Android XR offers two main experiences out of the gate. The first is in the form of a visor-like headset that goes over the head.
Samsung's Project Moohan is an example of that. The device uses outward-facing cameras and sensors to map the environment and projects it inward, allowing you to walk around.
The headset then projects a desktop-like environment that spans the length of the headset. Place your hand in view, and Android XR will recognize it as input.
Pinch and grab the various translucent windows or layer them on top of one another. You can even click out of them like on the desktop. Or, use Gemini to summon a fully immersive video experience using spatial audio.
Android XR on a pair of smart glasses is a different experience. The demonstration at Google I/O 2025 showed a pair of thick, wire-frame glasses with discreet buttons on either side and a touchpad. Once the smart glasses are on, a heads-up display (HUD) is visible, positioned off to the side.
Unlike Android XR on the headset, there is no desktop or main home screen. There's also no physical input or need to extend your hands out front to control anything.
Instead, menu screens and information pop in as needed and only hover when active. For instance, while in navigation mode, Google Maps will display arrows pointing in the direction to walk or ride.
Android XR also lets you summon Gemini Live, particularly on smart glasses. Most interaction is conducted through voice commands. You can ask Gemini contextual questions and prompt it to provide information on what you're looking at.
Samsung is the first name you'll likely associate with Android XR since it was the first to be mentioned alongside Google's announcement that it would essentially 're-enter' the extended reality realm.
Right now, we're waiting on Samsung's Project Moohan to make its debut (and reveal its actual name). Samsung teased in a recent earnings call that it would 'explore new products such as XR' in the second half of 2025.
Xreal is another major player in the Android XR space. The company announced its Project Aura headset would be the second device launched with Android XR and that it would reveal more details at Augmented World Expo (AWE) in June 2025, with a potential product launch for later this year. That would put it around the same timeline as Samsung's headset.
Other device makers like Lynx and Sony have also been mentioned as partners in the Android XR push. Qualcomm makes the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 silicon, made especially for this particular product category.
For smart glasses, Google is working on an in-house pair. Although there's a reference device, there's nothing available for consumers quite yet. Eyewear brands like Gentle Monster and Warby Parker have been tapped by Google to develop stylish smart glasses with Android XR, though there's no timeline available there.
The first Android XR devices should be available in the second half of 2025. Based on what Samsung and Xreal have mentioned in earnings calls and press releases, they should be among the first to roll out Android XR-based products.
The overall cost of Android XR headsets and smart glasses has yet to be determined. Samsung and Xreal will be the companies to set the standard pricing for the headset and glasses, respectively.
Any Android XR smart glasses would have to be priced on par with the Ray-Ban Metas, which start at $300.
Snap, the company behind the social media app Snapchat, has had its foray into the smart glasses space with Spectacles. The company is still refining its entry into the extended reality space. It's unclear if it would attempt to use Android XR in its product lineup.
Meta has established its presence in the headset space with the Quest 3 and Quest 3S, but we're still awaiting the release of Orion AI Glasses. These are Meta's next-generation smart glasses.
Like the Ray-Ban Metas, they're designed after a pair of Ray-Ban wireframes. They also have a built-in camera and open-ear audio, but the main feature is the heads-up display you can interact with, similar to the Quest headsets. Meta hasn't revealed when the Orion AI Glasses will be available.
The Apple Vision Pro is the first-generation version of the company's foray into extended reality. With a starting price of $3,500, it's a pricey way to enter Apple's spatial computing ecosystem. The device boasts a similar eye and hand-tracking interface to Project Moohan.
The Vision Pro also works within Apple's ecosystem of devices and can tether to the MacBook. But one of its biggest caveats is its high price. It's also quite heavy to wear.
There have been reports that Apple is working on a more affordable version of the Vision Pro and a second-generation that's lighter for 2026. The company also has sights set on Apple glasses.