I Tried the New Android XR Smart Glasses From Google and XReal. I Didn't Expect to Be This Impressed

Google's Android XR platform is still in its early development stages, but it's full of potential. Designed to bring consistency to mixed reality (XR) headsets and smart glasses—essentially an "Android for XR"—it aims to address the fragmentation that has long hindered the category's growth. Currently, only one Android XR device is available for purchase, Samsung's $1,799 Galaxy XR, and trying it out impressed me enough to nominate it and Android XR for a TechEx award.Still, the Galaxy XR, with its Apple Vision Pro–style design, doesn't show what Android XR can mean for smart glasses specifically. Now, Google has finally provided that clarity by unveiling two of its own smart-glasses development kits and pulling back the curtain on XReal’s Android XR–powered Project Aura. After trying all three, I’m more convinced than ever that Android XR could mark a major leap forward for smart glasses, maybe even more than for headsets.Seeing the Potential in Android XRGoogle’s Android XR development kits are designed for developers and manufacturers seeking to create products and experiences that rival those of the Meta Ray-Ban Display and similar smart glasses. They use a color display that combines an embedded microprojector with a special pattern etched into the lens, known as a waveguide, that directs images into your eye. Waveguide displays are limited in terms of field of view and resolution, but they can be much smaller and lighter than other types of wearable displays, enabling smart glasses that aren’t much bulkier or heavier than ordinary specs.One of the Android XR waveguide development kits(Credit: Will Greenwald)The two Google development kits are completely wireless, running on their own batteries, and connect to an Android phone for all software processing. They’re nearly identical, with the only difference being that one has a monocular display that only shows a picture to the right eye, and the other has a binocular display that can show images to both eyes. The binocular version can produce stereoscopic 3D images that appear to have depth, but the monocular version is lighter, weighing just 1.73 ounces (49 grams). For what it’s worth, I didn’t feel much of a difference in weight between the two.I got to try several Android XR activities on the Google smart glasses, giving me a good sense of how this type of device will work in the real world. To start, I tried YouTube Music on the monocular pair, which played audio into my ears and displayed a…