Google and XREAL opened orders for XREAL AURA, a pair of wired extended reality (XR) glasses that run Google’s Android XR software, on Oct. 28. Google said the glasses are the first wired XR glasses powered by Android XR. Launch pricing starts at $1,099 through the end of the year.
Orders are open in the United States, Canada and Korea. Orders in Japan begin Nov. 2. Buyers must be 18 or older, according to Google, and can order at xreal.com/aura or, in the United States, at BestBuy.com. Shipments from Best Buy begin in mid-November.
The glasses have transparent lenses. Google said wearers can see the real world while apps and video are projected into their field of view. The company said the field of view is 70 degrees.
Google said the glasses weigh under 95 grams because the heavy processing happens in a portable compute puck, connected by a cable. The puck holds the battery and Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Reality Elite platform, which Google said debuts on AURA. The puck can also be used as a trackpad.
Google said users can open several apps at once and arrange them at any size. A feature called Wired Mirroring lets a laptop connect through a USB-C cable that supports video output. The laptop screen then appears as a resizable window, and Google said no software installation is needed. Users can also pair a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.
Google said its Gemini assistant works across what the wearer sees, including real-world surroundings and laptop windows. Starting Oct. 28, Google said, Gemini can also highlight what to focus on in the room or on a screen when the user shares their view.
For video, Google said users can open YouTube, Google TV or other streaming services and place the screen anywhere. The lenses can be dimmed and become transparent again when someone comes into view. A feature called spatial view turns almost any video, photo or game into 3D with a tap. Window follow mode keeps an app centered in front of the wearer.
Google said new immersive titles arrive with the glasses. They include “Nevatars,” “Galapagos: the Last Eden” and the San Francisco Ballet’s “Nutcracker.” Google also said Google Photos will add a spatial gallery this year.
For games, Google said users can play mobile and tablet titles from Google Play, or bring in games from a handheld or PC through Wired Mirroring. New games made for XR include Fallout Factions and Project Hail Mary: Journey Among the Stars. Google said Android XR offers millions of apps from Google Play, including more than 150 made for XR.
Google said businesses can find scaled deployment options on the Android Enterprise Blog. The company said setup is required and a compatible account is needed.