As we stand on the cusp of a new era of immersive computing, Google’s announcement of Android XR clearly highlights the role AI, Gemini, can play in broadening the use cases and appeal for extended (XR) technologies. This development comes at a time when the XR market is experiencing a surge of innovation and competition, with major players like Apple, Meta, and now Google vying for dominance in this rapidly expanding field.

I had the opportunity to demo Android XR both using a VR headset and AR glasses and I must admit I was impressed. Especially considering the phase of development of the platform that is now available to developers. I am not going into any detail about the mixed reality headset that Samsung calls Project Moohan or the glasses I used as these devices were not the final devices that Samsung will be shipping in 2025. The attention today is on the platform itself and what kind of experiences it empowers for both developers and users.

For Android XR, partnered with Samsung and Qualcomm to cover the full range of XR experiences from the start. Trying out both the VR headset and AR glasses back-to-back was eye-opening. It really drives home the point that VR and AR are not competing for superiority but offering different experiences that suit various needs and preferences. The choice between them often comes down to personal taste, the situation at hand, or the specific experience you are after. This diversity in XR technology suggests a future where users have more options to engage with digital content in ways that best fit their lives and tasks.

Taking a Page from Apple’s Playbook

In the world of technology, a recurring lesson is the value of embracing established conventions, especially when they do not directly affect the unique selling points of a new solution. This principle was evident during my hands-on experience with Android XR.

The familiarity was striking, with many interactions mirroring those I had previously encountered in Apple’s Vision Pro. Gestures like pinching and zooming to select items, grabbing corners to resize content windows, and using eye-tracking for selection all felt intuitive and natural. This consistency in user interface design across platforms is not just about imitation; it is about leveraging proven interaction methods that users already understand and expect.

By adopting these familiar gestures and controls, Android XR smartly focuses on user comfort and ease of adoption. This approach allows users to quickly acclimate to the new environment, reducing the learning curve and potential frustration. It is a reminder that in technology, sometimes the best innovation is not in reinventing every aspect of user interaction, but in knowing when to build upon existing foundations to create a seamless and accessible experience.

Another aspect that both Apple and Google share are this XR experience is the important role AI plays in bringing experiences to life. The key difference here is that while Apple has talked about AI being a key differentiating factor in their XR experience, Google is already proving how much richer and broader certain experience are going to be. One of my demos with the AR glasses was looking at a bookshelf and being able to ask Gemini about the “blue book” on the shelf, getting a summary of the book, and being able to then ask for suggestions about similar books I might like. Another interaction equality powerful was having a conversation with a Spanish speaker and seeing the live translation in English displayed in the corner of my glasses. It will be interesting to see what Apple Intelligence will bring to the Vision Pro experience, but I admit the bar Gemini sets is pretty high. Being able to interact my my environment looking at a plant and asking for information about the plant and the best way to keep it healthy in Italian and comfortably switch between English and Italian during the dame conversation was pretty powerful.

The integration of Gemini in experience such as Google Search or Maps promises to make interactions with XR devices more intuitive and context-aware, potentially lowering the barrier to entry for users new to XR technologies. The emphasis on AI-driven interactions could give Android XR a unique edge in the market, especially as AI continues to evolve and improve.

Building on Existing Foundations

Exactly on the point of building on foundations, Google is building Android XR on Android across the board. If developers have built for phone, tablet or watch they will find a lot of familiarity in Android XR and lift needed to port will be minimal.

This decision also means that for most users the underlining experience will be familiar like the first time you enter the mixed reality world of Project Moohan you see a familiar layout of the apps you know and use every day on your phone.

Android XR will also incorporate Snapdragon Spaces, Qualcomm’s effort to support developers in the XR space up to now. The partnership with Qualcomm on Project Moohan also means that other vendors such as Sony and Xreal will also be able to leverage the platform going forward without having to start from nothing.

A Contextual AI Companion and Multi-Modality

Two other key ingredients to my experience were the context that Gemini acquires and how that context makes my experience richer, more personal and streamlined. The moment I turned on Gemini, I could see a logo and a green light in the middle of the Project Moohan viewer clearly signaling that Gemini could see and hear everything I saw and heard. This is great from a privacy standpoint. I asked Google what happens to the data used during the session and they said nothing is retinaied once you terminate the exchange with Gemini and nothing is used to train their model. Gemini is even able to retain context of things in my view I did not inquiry about or point out to it. For instance, 10 minutes or so after inquirieing about the blue book on the bookshelf I was able to ask Gemini what the tile of the yellow book on the shelf and get and answer, the author and a summary.

Lastly, multi modality of input was also critical in my experience. I was able to use my hands to point to a target as well as just my eyes which is very useful when you might be in a tight or busy environment, think of a coffee shop or a plane. I was also able to switch seamlessly between keyboard and mouse input and hands making navigation a google search page much easier.

2025 Might Finally Be the Time for XR

I am very excited about the launch of Android XR because I believe it does the potential to make XR much more interesting to a broader audience. Considering what I tried were not commenrcial products I am confident Samsung will deliver great hardware because of the experience and understanding they have of the space coupled with their manufacturing apabilities. My demos were all centered around Google apps, Chrome, YouTube, and Maps mostly because this is where Gemini shines, but more will be needed to entice buyers, which is why launching to developers way ahead of the hardware shipping is a great move.

Lastly the intent to hit the market with a Project Moohan first followed by AR glasses will allow to broaden the market faster and by so doing, making it more worthwhile for developers to invest in and in turn providing more value to buyers.

If you have been following my journey, you will know that I have long been skeptical about VR’s potential. Apple’s Vision Pro was the first to nudge me towards reconsidering this stance. Now, after experiencing Google’s Android XR, I can confidently say that my outlook has completely shifted. I am genuinely excited about what 2025 holds for the XR landscape.

The impending rollout of Apple Intelligence to Vision Pro and the launch of Samsung’s Project Moohan are set to redefine our expectations of immersive computing. These advancements promise to bring AI-driven, context-aware experiences that seamlessly blend with our daily lives in ways we are only beginning to imagine.

While multi-modal input is already helping, it will be multi-modal AI that will prove critical to drive adoption into the mainstream as it will meet users where they are at with both habits and comfort level.

You might wonder why I have not mentioned Meta, a significant player in this space. While Meta has made strides with the Quest, I believe they currently lack the comprehensive ecosystem and AI prowess that Apple and Google bring to the table. The Quest, while popular, may struggle to compete with the sophisticated AI integration and seamless user experiences that Vision Pro and Project Moohan are poised to offer. As for Meta’s Project Orion, while very promising, it still seems a considerable distance from mainstream adoption.

The race for XR supremacy is heating up, and it is clear that AI will be the key differentiator. Google’s demonstration of Gemini in XR has set a high bar, showcasing how AI can transform our interaction with both digital and physical worlds. Apple, with its track record of refining user experiences, is sure to bring its own flavor of AI-enhanced immersion to the table.

The skeptic in me has been silenced, replaced by genuine excitement for the potential of these technologies to reshape our digital interactions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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