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1h ago

Google Maps Out Android XR Glasses for 2026 as Galaxy XR Gains New Features

The company is steering Android XR toward lightweight everyday eyewear through a multi‑form‑factor plan with a developer‑first rollout.

Image
Prototypes of the Android XR glasses, equipped with Gemini AI, are pictured during Google's annual I/O developers conference in Mountain View, California on May 20, 2025.
Demonstration of prototypes of glasses that can display information in the user's field of vision at the Google I/O developer conference on May 20, 2025, in Mountain View, California.
CNN's Tech Editor Lisa Eadicicco trying out Google's latest smart glasses prototype.

Overview

  • Google detailed a staged lineup for Android XR glasses, with audio‑only models and monocular display glasses planned for 2026 and binocular mixed‑reality eyewear expected later, potentially in 2027.
  • Android XR SDK Developer Preview 3 is available now, adding an emulator and Glimmer design guidance to help developers adapt apps and experiences.
  • Google has begun distributing monocular developer kits, with broader access promised over the coming months for teams building early apps.
  • Galaxy XR is receiving its first major update starting today, including PC Connect beta for linking to Windows PCs, a travel mode for stable viewing in motion, and a Likeness avatar feature.
  • Google previewed ecosystem hardware and partners, highlighting collaborations with Samsung, Warby Parker, and Gentle Monster, plus XREAL’s wired Project Aura glasses with optical see‑through and a roughly 70‑degree field of view.