Google Finally Gives Us A Look Behind The Lenses At Android XR On Smart Glasses

Contents

Summary

Google’s I/O event highlighted Android XR, its platform for AR/VR, with a focus on smart glasses powered by Gemini AI for hands-free assistance.
Demonstrations showcased real-world applications of Android XR smart glasses, including voice-activated calendar entries, local search with Maps overlays, message replies, and real-time language translation.
Google is partnering with eyewear brands like Gentle Monster and Warby Parker for stylish designs and collaborating with Samsung on software and hardware to enable a broader ecosystem of Android XR smart glasses, with XREAL also announcing a new device for the platform.

Google kicked off its annual I/O developer conference today, though unlike previous iterations, the tech giant already addressed much of the anticipation at its Android Show last week.

During the earlier event, Google not only showed off Android 16 and its upcoming Material 3 Expressive redesign, it also shed light on Gemini’s eventual arrival (and Google Assistant’s deprecation) on devices like TVs, cars, wearables, and more.

A series of Android bot mascots holding video cameras

Gemini, however, is also the brains of the operation powering Google’s push into the extended reality market. Android XR, first unveiled in December 2024, is Google’s dedicated platform for AR/VR headsets and smart glasses.

The tech giant describes Android XR as the “first Android platform built in the Gemini era,” and today, at I/O, it offered a deeper dive into the integration’s potential in real-world scenarios.

We’ve seen Android XR in action previously, albeit from the eyes of a headset wearer. This time around, the focus is on the potential of smart glasses powered by Android XR. Although likely not a prerequisite in each scenario, Google said that Android XR smart glasses would be equipped with a camera, microphones, and speakers. The glasses would work in tandem with your smartphone, giving you seamless app access without you ever having to dig through your pockets.

Pairing these glasses with Gemini means they see and hear what you do, so they understand your context, remember what’s important to you and provide information right when you need it.

Real-world use cases

In an example shared by Google, we see the POV of a person wearing smart glasses powered by Android XR. While chopping what appears to be celery, the individual creates Google Calendar and Google Tasks entries simply by speaking out their request. Both entries appear as overlays in the wearer’s field of view.

Similarly, in a different video example, a smart glass wearer is shown walking around what seems to be New York City. The individual, without any ‘Hey,’ or ‘Gemini’ hot words, says “What’s a good spot nearby for ramen?” A Google Maps overlay appears shortly after, highlighting a restaurant with its name, logo, star rating, and distance. The individual then says “Show me how to get there,” and a familiar Google Maps route UI appears with turn-by-turn directions.

In a third video example, an individual is walking through what appears to be the Strait Street in Malta. They receive a message that appears in a familiar Google Messages bubble overlay in their field of view. The individual is able to reply to the message simply by speaking out.

Similarly, in a different example, an individual is seen walking around a park, talking to someone who’s speaking in Spanish. The smart glass wearer asks Gemini to translate what the other person is saying, and Gemini does so in real-time, with the translated text appearing in a bubble overlay.

To bring Android XR’s functionality to life, Google said that it is partnering with innovative eyewear brands like Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. Further, the tech giant alluded that it is “advancing” its partnership with Samsung to “go beyond headsets and extend Android XR to glasses.” The two are reportedly creating software and reference hardware platforms to aid other manufacturers in developing their own Android XR-powered smart glasses.

Elsewhere, at the event, Google also announced its strategic partnership with XREAL, with the latter unveiling Project Aura, its next-gen extended reality device designed for Android XR.