Google's latest push into extended reality is starting to take shape. While the company isn't ready to showcase any products just yet, it has presented a vision for a unified Android XR ecosystem. This ecosystem will encompass a variety of devices, including virtual reality headsets and mixed reality glasses, developed in partnership with Samsung and Qualcomm.

This marks Alphabet's latest attempt to compete with the likes of Meta and Apple in the extended reality space. The company has experimented in this area before with products like Google Glass, Daydream, and Google Cardboard—programs that eventually found their way to the Google Graveyard. However, Android XR appears to be much more ambitious, and with major partners like Samsung and Qualcomm on board from the start, it signals that Alphabet is taking its extended reality efforts much more seriously this time around.

Figure 1. Android XR

Despite shutting down some of its higher-profile XR projects, Google has been quietly working on extended reality behind the scenes. "Google is not a stranger to this category," said Sameer Samat, president of Android Ecosystem at Google, ahead of the announcement [1]. "We, like many others, have made some attempts here before. I think the vision was correct, but the technology wasn't quite ready." Figure 1 shows Android XR.

One area where Google believes technology has advanced enough to give XR another shot is artificial intelligence. Gemini will be deeply integrated into Android XR, leveraging the power of the chatbot to create a user interface centered around voice and natural conversation. With this approach, Google and its partners aim to offer experiences that wouldn't be feasible with gestures and controllers alone.

"We are fully in what we refer to as the Gemini Era, and the breakthroughs in AI with multi-modal models are giving all of us entirely new ways of interacting with computers," Samat said. "We believe a digital assistant integrated with your XR experience is the killer app for the form factor, similar to what email or texting was for the smartphone."

Google believes that smart glasses and headsets offer a more natural form factor for exploring this technology, as opposed to holding up a smartphone to interact with the world. To support this vision, the growing range of XR devices, such as VR headsets with passthrough (which allow users to see the outside world while wearing them), plays a key role in Google's push into the extended reality space.

We'll get our first real look at Android XR products next year, including one developed by Google in partnership with Samsung. The first headset, currently called Project Moohan (meaning "infinity" in Korean), will feature "state-of-the-art displays," passthrough, and natural multi-modal input, according to Samsung. It's expected to be a lightweight, ergonomically designed headset aimed at maximizing comfort.

Renderings of the Moohan prototype (pictured above) suggest that the headset will resemble the Apple Vision Pro, potentially featuring a glass visor on the front. In addition to the headset, Samsung is also developing Google XR glasses, with more details expected to be revealed soon.

However, creating the right hardware will only be part of the equation if there are no compelling applications to go with it. To address this, Google is now looking to engage developers to create apps and products for Android XR. The company is providing developers with APIs, an emulator, and hardware development kits to help them build immersive XR experiences.

On its end, Google is promising an "infinite desktop" for users leveraging the platform for productivity. Its core apps are being reimagined for extended reality, including Chrome, Photos, Meet, Maps (with an immersive view of landmarks), and Google Play. Additionally, mobile and tablet apps from Google Play are expected to work seamlessly with the XR platform right out of the box.

On YouTube, users will be able to seamlessly transition from augmented reality into a virtual reality experience. Similarly, in Google TV, you’ll be able to switch from an AR view to a virtual home movie theater when you begin watching a film.

A demo video showcased a headset wearer using a combination of voice commands and a physical keyboard and mouse to navigate through multiple Chrome windows. One of the many features, Circle to Search, allows users to look up information, and then refine the results using a Gemini command. Additionally, users will be able to pull 3D image renderings from image search results and manipulate them using gestures.

Android XR aims to enhance AR glasses with features like translating signage and speech, answering questions about restaurant menus, offering DIY advice, providing directions, and summarizing group chats. With AR glasses resembling regular spectacles, Google hopes to avoid the privacy issues seen with earlier products like Google Glass. However, the new technology raises privacy concerns, particularly around undetected filming. Google promises new privacy controls for Gemini on Android XR, with more details expected next year.

Games could play a key role in the success of Android XR, with Google aiming to make it easy for developers to port their titles to the platform. Unity is supporting Android XR, offering tools for developers to create experiences, with studios like Resolution Games and Google's Owlchemy Labs already on board. Unity also partners with Google and director Doug Liman's studio to create an immersive film app combining AI and XR [2]. Physical controllers will remain part of the ecosystem, as Android XR aims to create a broad range of devices, similar to Android's success across phones, tablets, cars, and TVs.

References:

1. https://www.androidfaithful.com/android-xr-googles-bold-new-vision-for-extended-reality/
2. https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/google-lays-out-its-vision-for-an-android-xr-ecosystem-160001103.html

Cite this article:

Janani R (2024), Google Has Outlined Its Vision for An Android XR Ecosystem, AnaTechmaz, pp. 316