Xreal, a Chinese startup supported by Alibaba, has introduced its new extended reality (XR) glasses called Project Aura. These glasses run on Google’s Android XR operating system.
The announcement was made at the recent Google I/O conference. This is an important step for Google as it aims to become a major player in virtual and augmented reality devices.
Project Aura is the first glasses-style device to use Android XR. Google launched this operating system last year, and it includes the AI assistant Gemini.
Earlier, Samsung revealed its Project Moohan headset, also powered by Android XR, designed to compete with Apple’s Vision Pro. Xreal’s glasses use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR chips, which are made for XR devices.
The glasses are “tethered,” which means they must connect to another device to work. Xreal has not shared details about how this connection will happen. The company plans to release a developer version first to encourage app makers, followed by a version for consumers.
This launch adds more competition to the XR market, where Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses and Snap’s Spectacles are already popular. Project Aura offers a lightweight and stylish alternative to bulky headsets.
As Apple, Meta, and others focus on XR, Google’s move with Android XR and partners like Xreal shows how important this technology will be in the future.
