Google still doesn't have much to show for Android XR

When Google unveiled Android XR last year, it seemed like a clear response to Apple's Vision Pro: It was a plan for a true mixed reality platform that could easily hop between AR, VR and smart glasses like Meta's Ray-Bans. At Google I/O 2025 today, Google announced the second developer preview for Android XR, and it also showed off a bit more about how it could work in headsets and smart glasses. It'll likely be a while before we see Android XR devices in action, though, as Google also revealed Samsung's Project Moohan headset will arrive later this year. Additionally, Xreal is also building Project Aura, a pair of tethered smart glasses powered by the platform.

Basically, there really isn't much to get excited about just yet. It's clear that Google is working hard to catch up with both Apple and Meta, which actually have XR products on the shelves already. Given that Google tends to kill its ambitious projects with a swiftness — just take a look at Google Glass, Cardboard and Daydream, which were all early stabs at AR and VR — it's hard to put much faith in the future of Android XR. Is the availability of much better XR hardware enough to make the platform a success? At this point, it's just too tough to tell.

For now, though, it looks like Google is aiming to deliver all of the features you'd expect with Android XR. Its second developer preview adds the ability to play 180-degree and 360-degree immersive videos, bring hand-tracking into apps and support dynamic refresh rates (which could seriously help battery life). As expected, Google is also making it easier to integrate its Gemini AI into Android XR apps, something the company promised when it first announced the platform last year.

Google

In a series of pre-rendered videos, Google showed off the ideal ways to use Gemini in smart glasses and headsets. If your glasses have a built-in display (something Meta's Ray-Bans don't offer yet), you could see a small Google Map to give you directions, message friends while you're prepping dinner or take a picture while dancing with your partner at sunset (seriously). All I can say is: "Cool demo, bro." Get back to us when this is all working in headsets and glasses we can actually wear.

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