GoKawiilAdd Android Authority on Google: Preferred Source Google Discover
I have been hearing about XREAL’s Project Aura glasses for so long, and all this while, I’ve found myself wondering whether they would truly live up to all the hype. After all, this is a completely new modality for Android, and as is often the case with early-stage tech, I’ve had my apprehensions about just how well-baked the experience would be. Now that I’ve had a chance to try the glasses out, I find myself counting days until they launch.
Would you buy the XREAL Aura glasses? 21 votes Yes, definitely. 29 % Maybe, if the price is right. 57 % I'm interested, but I'll wait for more info. 14 % Nope, XR glasses aren't for me. 0 %
XREAL has been teasing a fall launch for months, but the company is nowadays sharing a much more concrete timeline, and the Aura glasses are expected to launch before the end of 2026, with a price of under $1,500.
I came away from my demo more excited about the Aura than I expected to be.
The company was actually quite careful about that number when I spoke to its representatives at IFA. “Under $1,500” does not necessarily mean $1,499, I was told, so there is still some mystery around the final price. Nevertheless, after spending some time with the glasses, I came away from my demo more excited about them than I expected to be.
Android, but on your face
This might sound like a strange thing to say about a pair of glasses, but if you have been following the development of XR, you will know that the biggest challenge has never really been demonstrating what the technology can do. Companies have been making impressive AR and VR tech for years. The harder part is making the experience feel natural enough that you can imagine using it regularly.
After my brief time with Aura, I think XREAL is getting surprisingly close.
If you are completely new to the idea of Android XR, the easiest way to understand what the likes of XREAL, Google, and Samsung are trying to do is to imagine taking the Android experience you already know from your phone and bringing it into the space around you.
... continue reading