Android XR: Google's New Extended Reality Operating System

Google on Thursday announced Android XR as a new operating system designed for extended reality (XR) devices, along with support for its Gemini AI assistant. It is expected to arrive with upcoming mixed reality headsets as well as smart glasses, and Google says that it will offer support for features that rely on artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Apple released visionOS as its dedicated operating system designed for the Apple Vision Pro in 2023, and offers support for running apps designed for the headset as well as iPad apps.

The company says that the first developer preview of Android XR that was released on Thursday, will enable the development of apps and games for upcoming devices that will arrive with the new operating system. It already includes support for tools used by developers working on Android applications, such as Android Studio, Jetpack Compose, ARCore, OpenXR, and Unity.

The new Android XR operating system will allow users to access Google's Gemini AI assistant, which will offer features designed for XR experiences. This means that users will be able to talk to the assistant and ask it questions about objects and locations within their field of view, or even use the Circle to Search feature that is available on select Android phones, to perform a visual lookup with a gesture.

In addition to these AI features, Google says that its in-house applications like YouTube, Google Photos, and Google TV will be redesigned to work on a virtual display, which sounds similar to how Apple added support for watching content on a larger, immersive screen visible while wearing the Apple Vision Pro headset.

Meanwhile, Google Maps will offer support for a revamped Immersive View feature, while users can also browse the web using Google Chrome on a much larger virtual screen, using gestures for navigation.

Google has also announced that the first device that will run on Android XR is codenamed Project Moohan. Samsung will launch this XR headset in 2025. It is expected to rival the Apple Vision Pro, which was launched earlier this year, in select markets, with a $3,499 (roughly Rs. 2.96 lakh) price tag.

Smart glasses (or AR glasses) are said to be the future of XR technology, and could offer most of the features available today without bulky components. Google says it is already preparing for these technologies with Android XR, and will start real-world testing for prototype glasses running the new OS soon.

Previews of Android XR on these prototype devices shared by the company showcase some futuristic features such as the ability to view messages in a small popup at the bottom of the wearer's field of view, or the ability to see turn-by-turn navigation directions while using Google Maps, along with a small circular map shown in the same location. These classes could also automatically offer to translate text and offer virtual tutorials using AR technology, according to the company.