Google Unveils XREAL Aura Smart Glasses Powered By Android XR: All Details

Google has officially launched the XREAL Aura, a pair of wired extended reality (XR) glasses powered by Android XR. Developed in partnership with XREAL, the glasses let users view apps, videos and other digital content while still seeing the real world through transparent lenses. They also bring Gemini AI assistance into the user’s field of view.

The XREAL Aura features a 70-degree field of view and weighs under 95 grams. The processing hardware and battery are housed in a separate compute puck connected to the glasses by a cable. The puck uses Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Reality Elite platform, which makes its debut with the Aura.

Google says the glasses are designed for work, entertainment and gaming. They support apps from Google Play, including more than 150 apps built for XR, and let users place multiple windows around them.

XREAL Aura: Features and capabilities

The XREAL Aura can display multiple apps at once, allowing users to arrange a browser, work documents and music app around their field of view. Users can connect a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse or use the compute puck as a trackpad to create a portable workspace.

The glasses also support Wired Mirroring. Users can connect a laptop with a USB-C cable that supports video output, bringing the laptop screen into the XR environment as a resizable window. Google says no additional software is required, and the laptop window can be used alongside Android XR apps. The display is visible only to the wearer, which could be useful when working with sensitive documents in public places.

Gemini can work across the content visible through the glasses, including the laptop window. Users can ask it to organise windows, brainstorm around what they are viewing or get help with content in front of them. Google says Gemini can also highlight relevant details in the real world or on a screen when users share their view.

XREAL Aura can turn any seat into a private theatre

The XREAL Aura can also be used to watch content from YouTube, Google TV and other streaming services. Users can position the screen wherever they find it comfortable and dim the lenses to reduce the visibility of the surrounding environment. The lenses can become transparent again when someone enters the wearer’s view.

The glasses support immersive content, including 180-degree and 360-degree videos, as well as 3D movies. Google says new XR films and performances are also arriving with the Aura, including “Nevatars”, “Galapagos: the Last Eden” and the San Francisco Ballet’s “Nutcracker”.

A feature called Spatial View can turn videos, photos and games into 3D content with a tap. The glasses also have a window-follow mode that keeps content in front of the wearer, while a mini-view can move it to the edge of their vision when they are on the move.

Google Photos is also set to get a spatial gallery later this year. It will let users browse their photo library in an immersive space, move through memories by year or day, and open selected photos in 3D.

XREAL Aura supports gaming

The XREAL Aura can run Android games downloaded from Google Play, including mobile and tablet titles. Users can also connect a handheld, PC or console through Wired Mirroring to play on a larger virtual screen.

The glasses allow users to keep other apps open alongside a game, such as a YouTube walkthrough or a chat window. Gemini can also help players when they get stuck, whether they are playing an Android game or streaming a title from a PC or console.

Google says XR games from studios such as Owlchemy Labs and Resolution Games will be available, with titles including “Fallout Factions” and “Project Hail Mary: Journey Among the Stars” also coming to the platform.

XREAL Aura price and availability

The XREAL Aura is available to order in the US, Canada and South Korea, while orders in Japan will open on November 2. Google says the glasses are available to users aged 18 and above.

The launch price starts at USD 1,099. Customers can order the glasses through XREAL’s website, while those in the US can also purchase them from Best Buy. Shipments are expected to begin in mid-November.

It is to be noted that Google has not announced pricing or availability for India yet.