Farewell to Heavy Headsets, Hello to Smart Magic Glasses: Google Project Aura, the First Android XR Smart Glasses

According to Saed News Science and Technology Desk, Google, in collaboration with XREAL, has officially unveiled a new wired mixed-reality smart glasses called Project Aura, signaling the rapid expansion of the Android XR ecosystem. The device is expected to hit the market in 2026.

Project Aura is the first Android XR device in the wired XR glasses category. It offloads many processing and computational tasks to an external unit called the Puck, which can be carried in a pocket or attached to the user’s belt.

Thanks to its design, Project Aura is lightweight and comfortable for long-term use. While it does not deliver a fully immersive virtual reality experience, it uses optical see-through technology and a 70-degree field of view to layer digital content over the real world.

The glasses provide users with a large, private display for work and entertainment without obstructing real-world vision. Technically, the new Google and XREAL smart glasses are very similar to Samsung’s Galaxy XR, utilizing the Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 processor and Android XR operating system.

Project Aura’s motion controls are identical to those of the Galaxy XR, and all Samsung VR headset applications are compatible. Google positions wired XR glasses as a suitable option for travelers.

Details on pricing, exact release date, and battery life have not yet been disclosed. The final product name is also likely to change, with a more marketable name expected.

Google and XREAL aim to further popularize the Android XR platform with the launch of Project Aura.