We gave ya’ll a heads-up that Google had some Android XR news coming, and today is the day. Earlier this afternoon, Google dropped its latest “The Android Show” episode with a focus on Android XR. This wasn’t solely to rest on its laurels, but to announce what to look forward to for the future of the platform and upcoming hardware.
Kicking things off is the first Galaxy XR update rolling out today, which brings forth new features to further rival Apple’s Vision Pro.
- First up is PC Connect, which is arriving in beta and will allow you to link your Windows PC to your headset. This feature allows you to add a window or your entire PC desktop and use it side-by-side with Google Play apps. PC connectivity is now in addition to Stream VR and Galaxy Book support already within Galaxy XR.
- Next is the new Travel Mode, which allows you to use your Galaxy XR headset and remain stable when in a moving vehicle, such as a passenger in a car or on a plane.
- And lastly, it now offers a digital version of you that can mirror your facial expressions and hand gestures in real time, which can be useful fr using the Galaxy XR for video calls.
Now moving onto the new XR hardware, more specifically, Google’s new AI glasses and wired XR. First up are the AI glasses, which are the same ones demoed previously at I/O and are the ones I and plenty of others have been waiting for. Google said it’s working on two types of AI Glasses and building with Gentle Monster, Samsung, and Warby Parker as their partners. Think of them as Google’s version of the Meta Ray-Bans. The first pair will be a screen-free experience, as you’ll be able to talk to and get help from Gemini, listen via speakers, and take pictures.
The second pair will mirror the first pair but provide a small display for translations, navigation, etc., and would be more like Google Glass 2.0. Meet the wired XR glasses, or as Google calls them, Project Aura from XREAL. Outside of being wired, these XR glasses offer a 70-degree field of view and optical see-through technology, which layers digital content onto the physical world. These specs can be used for instances such as following a floating recipe video while you cook or seeing step-by-step visual guides anchored to an appliance you are fixing. However, keep in mind that, since it is wired, you’ll need a large battery with you to use it on the go.
Google expects to have its AI Glasses on the market sometime next year and will share more details about its Project Aura launch then as well.
