Google partners with Samsung to launch a new operating system Android XR, with the first headset product set to be released next year

According to Zhitong Finance APP, Google (GOOGL.US) announced the launch of its new operating system Android XR, developed in collaboration with Samsung Electronics. It is reported that Android XR supports various interaction methods such as voice, motion control, and eye tracking. Google stated that this time it will leverage "years of accumulation in AI, AR, and VR technology" to re-enter the augmented reality market. Android XR aims to support future head-mounted devices and smart glasses, helping users "redefine" the way they watch, work, and explore.

At the same time, Google also released the mixed reality head-mounted device "Project Moohan" based on this operating system. This device, built by Samsung, combines features of Apple's (AAPL.US) Vision Pro and Meta (META.US) Quest3S, supporting switching between VR and AR modes, and is equipped with an external battery pack.

The main difference from the Vision Pro is that this device from Samsung feels lighter and more comfortable, allowing for long-term wear, and has a wider field of view than the Vision Pro, allowing users to see more content at once. Google stated that the first product will be launched next year, and other device manufacturers will also use Android XR to create their own head-mounted devices.

The new device is based on the Android XR operating system, which means that most existing Android applications can seamlessly adapt to the XR environment without additional development. This will greatly lower the barrier for developers to enter the mixed reality field and provide users with a richer and more diverse application selection.

Google launched the visual AR platform Google Glass ten years ago but has never been able to penetrate the consumer market. Its Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 has been discontinued for sale and support in 2023.

Sameer Samat, President of Google's Android Ecosystem, stated: "We are at a turning point in the expansion of extended reality (XR) technology, especially with the development of multimodal AI, which allows people to use this technology in their daily lives in a more natural and intuitive way."

Google emphasized that this time is different due to the support of the Gemini artificial intelligence model, which can provide a more natural and intelligent interaction experience. Sameer Samat pointed out that Google's collaboration with Samsung will create a brand new XR ecosystem, fundamentally changing the experience of next-generation computing devices, with the first device expected to be launched in 2025, and other manufacturers will also develop devices based on Android XR.

Android XR can be seen as a "strong competitor" to Apple's vision OS. However, unlike Google, Apple has no plans to offer vision OS to other manufacturers.

It is worth mentioning that the price of the head-mounted device jointly developed by Google and Samsung has not been disclosed, nor is there a specific launch date for next year. However, Samsung hinted that the price of this head-mounted device will be lower than Apple's Vision Pro at $3,499. A representative from the company stated, "We are doing a lot of research to see what price users are willing to pay." He added that the company is "fully aware" that previous pricing issues have hindered the widespread adoption of mixed reality technology