Google previews upcoming Android XR smart glasses equipped with Gemini – News

Google LLC has shared new details about its plan to launch smart glasses powered by the Android XR operating system.

The search giant first announced the initiative at its Google I/O developer event in May. At the time, the Alphabet Inc. unit disclosed that it will bring its smart glasses to market in partnership with eyewear brands Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. Today, Google held a virtual event in which executives explained how the devices will work.

The company plans to launch two types of glasses. The first variety will feature a version of the company’s Gemini artificial intelligence assistant that takes voice instructions as input. According to Google, the AI will have access to data from microphones and front-facing cameras installed in the frame. 

Demo videos released by Google indicate that the glasses can answer questions about the user’s surroundings. For example, a tourist could ask Gemini to translate a sign or a restaurant menu. Furthermore, the AI can provide information about objects the wearer photographed earlier in the day.

The audio-only glasses will be followed by a more advanced model with a built-in display. Google says that the embedded screen lends itself to a wide range of tasks. Users can, for example, have it show turn-by-turn navigation instructions or a home appliance repair guide.

The devices will create more competition for Meta Platforms Inc., which launched its own display-equipped smart glasses in September. The Meta Ray-Ban Display is the fruit of a collaboration between the Facebook parent and eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica S.p.A. It went on sale a few weeks ago for $799, which may provide a clue as to the pricing of Google’s upcoming glasses.

The Meta Ray-Ban Display comes with an acccessory called the Neural Band. It’s a high-tech wristband that enables users to control their glasses with hand gestures. Google, which bought smartwatch maker Fitbit in 2021, may launch a similar accessory for its smart glasses further down the line. 

In the near term, the search giant will help third-party manufacturers to integrate Android XR into their devices. Google has partnered with wearable maker XREAL to launch a pair of smart glasses called Project Aura next year. It features a built-in display with a 70-degree field of view.

According to Google, Project Aura comes with a tethered processing module that boosts its computing capacity. The module features Qualcomm Inc.’s XR Gen 2 Plus chip, which is specifically designed for extended reality devices. It includes a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit and circuits optimized for AI workloads.

Google plans to launch its first smart glasses next year. The rollout will be accompanied by updates to Android XR, the operating system powers the devices. It’s a modified version of Android optimized for smart glasses and augmented reality headsets that Google debuted last year.

The company today introduced a new preview version of the Android XR SDK, a software toolkit that enables developers to build apps for smart glasses. It includes tools that allow programs to access data from smart glasses’ sensors. In addition, there are prepackaged user interface elements that remove the need for developers to design everything from scratch.

The development kit is joined by a number of other Android XR enhancements. One new feature will facilitate better image stability when the user is on the go, while another makes it possible to sync content from Windows computers to a headset. Users can run Windows programs side-by-side with Android apps.

Image: Google