Android XR is Google's new operating system aimed at powering devices like headsets and glasses and making possible new experiences, a.k.a. apps, running on them. Android XR will integrate Gemini, Google's AI assistant, to enable understanding user intent, defining a plan, guiding through tasks, and more.
Android XR is build on top of the Android OS, leveraging key components like ARCore, Android Studio, Jetpack Compose, Unity, and OpenXR to provide solid foundations for the new platform. Android XR apps will make it possible for a virtual environment to coexist with the real world. For example, says Google, they are working to allows users to watch YouTube videos on a virtual big screen, display photos in 3D, and so on.
We'll soon begin real-world testing of prototype glasses running Android XR with a small group of users. This will help us create helpful products and ensure we’re building in a way that respects privacy for you and those around you.
Android XR apps will exist inside virtual spaces and include 3D elements, spatial panels, and spatial audio to create a sense of depth, scale, and realism. They will also leverage multimodal interaction capabilities using hands and eyes.
To make it easier for developers to create Android XR apps, Google has also announced the Android XR SDK.
You’ll have endless opportunities to create and develop experiences that blend digital and physical worlds, using familiar Android APIs, tools and open standards created for XR.
A key component of the Android XR SDK is Jetpack XR, which includes new XR-specific libraries, such as Jetpack Compose for XR, Material Design for XR, Jetpack SceneCore, and ARCore for Jetpack XR.
Besides Jetpack Compose XR, the Android XR SDK also supports creating apps based on Unity or WebXR.
You can use the Android XR SDK with Android Studio Meerkat, which also includes the new Android XR Emulator. This will make it possible to use a virtualized XR device to deploy and test apps built with the Jetpack XR SDK. The emulator will rely on keyboard and mouse to enable navigation in the virtual 3D space using a palette of tools to rotate the scene, zoom in and out, and so on.
Android XR will have its own Play Store, where you will find apps created specifically for Android XR as well as compatible Android apps, which will be automatically spatialized with no developer effort.
First and foremost, Android XR's preview aims at providing device makers and creators the opportunity to start creating a whole new ecosystem of devices and apps. According to Google, the first Android XR device will be released by Samsung in 2025.
Android XR and the Android XR SDK are currently available in preview only. If you are interested in getting access to the new platform, you can apply here.
