I got to try Android XR glasses at Google I/O, and I’m more excited about smart display glasses than I’ve ever been
Publish Date: 2026-05-20 05:11:00
Source Domain: www.androidcentral.com
Google I/O is currently underway, and after sitting through a monotonous an exciting keynote address, I got the chance to demo some upcoming Android XR glasses and prototypes. Samsung and Xreal are seemingly two of the most dedicated players in the space, and I got to try both Xreal’s glasses and the latest Google prototype, which the Samsung glasses are no doubt based on, giving us a look at how Android XR will span different types of eyewear.
Samsung was set to launch Android XR hardware last year with the Galaxy XR, but it’s a large, bulky device you wouldn’t want to wear around. This time around, the focus is on more compact glasses for everyday wear. These are the ones I got to play with, and while I can’t wait for audio-only glasses to come around, I’m more excited about what Samsung and Xreal have in store when it comes to display glasses.
Xreal is unreal
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
The first demo I got to try was arguably the more interesting one. Xreal teased its Project Aura glasses last year, and I was able to give them a spin ahead of the launch later this year. These glasses sport two OLED displays behind the lenses, one for each eye.
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If you’re familiar with Xreal products, the design here shouldn’t surprise you. They’re thick glasses that sit a little further from your face than usual, in order to give you room for the displays. It’s a design I’m not a fan of from the outside looking in, but when they’re on your face, you don’t notice the difference.
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
The Project Aura glasses have two cameras on either side of the lenses for perception and tracking, while the middle is for taking photos and videos. One temple holds all the buttons: volume rocker, Home/Gemini, and a dimming button to control the electrochromic dimming of the lenses.
There’s also a separate puck that connects to the glasses, which houses the…
