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Time of India
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Google I/O 2025: Xreal's Project Aura are the second pair of smart glasses to run Google's Android XR Operating System
Xreal announced Project Aura, a new pair of extended reality (XR) smart glasses running 's Android XR operating system , at Google's I/O 2025 conference on Tuesday. This marks only the second official device to use Google's XR platform following Samsung's Project Moohan headset announced earlier this year. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The lightweight "optical see-through" glasses represent a significant partnership between Google, Xreal, and Qualcomm as tech giants race to establish dominance in the emerging XR space. While few technical specifications were released, Xreal confirmed the glasses will utilize Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR chips specifically designed for XR hardware. "By combining our platform with XREAL's leadership in portable XR hardware, we're expanding spatial experiences to OST form-factors that are truly intuitive and accessible, representing a pivotal moment in our ecosystem," said Hugo Swart, Google's Senior Director of XR Ecosystem, in a press release. Google positions Android XR to compete with Meta and Apple The strategic partnership positions Google to challenge Meta and Apple in the XR market. For Google, securing more devices on Android XR increases the platform's appeal to developers building applications for these new computing devices. Meanwhile, Xreal gains access to cutting-edge technology and Google's marketing power. Unlike bulky headsets like Apple's $3,500 Vision Pro, Project Aura maintains Xreal's focus on lightweight, tethered devices that connect to other hardware to run. Product renders show what appear to be cameras in the hinges and nose bridge, along with microphones and control buttons in the temples. Xreal CEO Chi Xu called the collaboration "a breakthrough moment for real-world XR," highlighting the merger of Google's platform, Qualcomm's chipsets, and Xreal's optical expertise. Further details about Project Aura will be revealed at the Augmented World Expo in early June, with no pricing or release timeline currently announced.
Tom's Guide
20-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
Google and Xreal announce partnership with new Project Aura Android XR smart glasses
During Google's I/O 2025 conference, Xreal, maker of the Xreal One AR glasses, announced a partnership with the tech giant to build spatial computing devices on Android XR, the Google platform for extended reality (XR) devices. The device, dubbed Project Aura, is only the second official device announced for Android XR after Samsung's Project Moohan XR headset, which is supposed to launch later this year. "By combining our platform with XREAL's leadership in portable XR hardware, we're expanding spatial experiences to OST form-factors that are truly intuitive and accessible, representing a pivotal moment in our ecosystem," Google's Sr. directior of the XR ecosystem at Google, Hugo Swart, said in a press release. Xreal is calling Project Aura an "optical see-through" XR device, which looks similar to the Xreal One smart glasses in official images (see above). It's a "lightweight and tethered, cinematic and Gemini AI-powered device." Interestingly, Xreal developed the custom spatial computing X1 chip for its own glasses, but the company says the collaboration with Google will include a partnership with Qualcomm, meaning Project Aura will sport a Snapdragon XR chipset. Most likely, it will be the Snapdragon XR+ Gen 2, which is expected to feature in Project Moohan. "Project Aura reflects the power of this collaboration — merging a robust platform with advanced chipsets and our expertise in optical systems," Xreal CEO and founder, Chi Xu said in a press release. We believe this is a breakthrough moment for real-world XR.' The announcement of Project Aura at I/O appears to be aimed at developers to get them excited for the new device and working on apps or use cases for upcoming smart glasses. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Xreal makes some of the best smart glasses you can buy right now in the Xreal One and One Pro. Tom's Guide Managing Editor Jason England describes the Xreal One as his "go-to pair of glasses." As he said in his review, "So far, spatial computing hasn't really taken off. But it's become increasingly clear that the Xreal One is the next step towards this vision." Xreal said that more details will be shared during the Augmented World Expo which takes place in early June. Hopefully, we'll get more concrete specs on the new device and what Xreal is planning with it.
