Google launched Android in 2008, along with the first Android phone, the T-Mobile G1 (aka the HTC Dream). Google’s launch event aimed to unite the messy smartphone industry. As an alternative to iOS (then known as iPhone OS), Google hoped Android would unite everyone behind it.
Google is now hoping for a similar outcome in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). Google has unveiled Android XR, a new operating system designed to power XR devices in the future. VR headsets, AR glasses, and more are included in this category.
The announcement of Google launching AR software to power headsets is reminiscent of Google Glass, a way-ahead-of-its-time headset that projected images over what the wearer saw in the real world in 2012.
Android XR:
The Android XR operating system is an extension of the Android platform, which means its core code is Android. Android XR is designed specifically for XR devices, which is the biggest difference.
You can use Android XR with AR glasses, VR headsets, and any other device that supports an operating system. With the hardware’s viewing system, you can launch apps, work with data, play games, and more. There are several ways to accomplish this, including with traditional VR controllers, air gestures (similar to Apple Vision Pro), or voice commands.
With Android XR, Google will emphasize voice commands heavily. Since Android XR is the first operating system created in Google’s “Gemini era,” generative AI and the Gemini digital assistant will play a major role. Android XR has also been seen by Google as a differentiating factor from its competitors, such as visionOS, the operating system that runs Apple’s Vision Pro. VisionOS works with Apple’s Siri digital assistant, but the company does not heavily market or promote it. Air gestures are the main focus instead. Moreover, visionOS does not include any generative AI features. As a result, Google sees these deficiencies as opportunities to offer something different.
With Android XR, Google is focused heavily on developer-friendliness. With Android XR running Android at its core, you can use most Google Play apps and games right out of the box. Developers can also port existing apps and games designed for other XR operating systems to Android XR by working with partners, including Qualcomm, Unity, and more.
First VR device:
Google hasn’t announced any Google-branded hardware for Android XR yet. Qualcomm will launch the first Android XR device in partnership with Samsung. In Samsung’s VR headset, “Project Moohan,” Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 processor powers the headset. Qualcomm launched this processor in early 2024.
Samsung uses the word “moohan” for this device because it means “infinity” in Korean. Moohan is the official codename for this project, but you can call it Infinity if you like.
Samsung publicly shares only the above image of its prototype for Project Moohan today, emphasizing that the retail version may look different. To put it simply, Project Moohan looks like a combination of Meta Quest 3 and Vision Pro. The majority of the device is plastic, with a battery pack attached to the head strap, similar to the Quest 3. Like the Vision Pro, the front of the device is made of glass.
Based on the demo videos, the glass front is purely aesthetic. The software doesn’t appear to replicate the Vision Pro’s interesting (though creepy) digitally projected eye images in real-time. Using a low-latency video feed projected to your eyes, you can “see” through the headset. You won’t be able to see your real-world surroundings through the headset, but you will be able to see them in full colour, just as in Quest 3.
The marketing name announcement and eventual commercial launch of Project Moohan will take place in 2025. During Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series launch, which is expected to take place in January, we may hear more about it. You shouldn’t get too hopeful at that point about the retail launch, though. We’ll likely learn more about the device over the next few months, with a full launch expected in the second half of the year.
