Daniel Mercer
Xreal stands out in the smart glasses industry by offering an immersive augmented reality (AR) experience tailored for entertainment, rather than just a standard pair of eyewear with added features. This distinctive approach is evident in the company’s latest innovation, Project Aura, powered by Android XR. After trying out the glasses at Google I/O, it became clear that Xreal aims to achieve far more than simply creating another set of cinema glasses.
While the upcoming audio-centric glasses from Warby Parker and Gentle Monsters represent a minimalist take on Android XR, Xreal’s Project Aura embodies a more ambitious vision. Rather than being casual smart glasses for all-day wear, Project Aura serves as a significantly enhanced version of the company’s One Pro glasses.
The design of the glasses closely resembles the One Pro model, but Project Aura introduces three cameras: one on each side for hand tracking and a central camera for capturing photos and videos. Although Xreal has not disclosed detailed specifications yet, the 70-degree field of view display impressed me with its sharpness and brightness, even under bright outdoor conditions. The wide display ensured that I could fully enjoy YouTube videos and browse in Chrome without feeling like I was missing any content, though I had to consciously look left and right to access additional features like the comments section on YouTube.
Navigating the interface was intuitive and seamless. The primary gesture involves a pinching motion, reminiscent of other AR systems, which allowed for reliable hand detection. I had no trouble resizing or repositioning windows as I interacted with the glasses.
In contrast to the One Pro glasses, Project Aura operates through a wired connection to a separate puck, similar to Apple’s Vision Pro. Xreal’s puck, roughly the size of a smartphone, features a built-in trackpad and fingerprint sensor, although I didn’t have the opportunity to test those functionalities. During my approximately 20-minute demo, the puck became somewhat warm, likely due to the nearly 90-degree weather.
Karissa Bell for Engadget
Xreal showcased several of its proprietary applications to demonstrate some of Project Aura’s features, including a basic AR drawing app and an innovative tool called “Gemini Molecule.” The latter effectively showcased Aura’s multimodal capabilities: by focusing on an object and pinching with my fingers, the app provided the material’s name along with a visualization of its molecular structure. The company mentioned that both apps were rapidly developed using Gemini. Although these applications weren’t the most groundbreaking AR experiences I’ve encountered, they offered a glimpse into the potential once third-party developers gain access to Aura.
While Project Aura shares the immersive entertainment potential of Xreal’s previous models, the company appears to be targeting it as a professional-level device. Users can connect the glasses to a laptop and utilize Aura as an external display. With a Bluetooth keyboard, one could feasibly accomplish a significant amount of work, although I didn’t get to test this configuration myself. one of the Xreal engineers I spoke with claimed he had completely replaced his traditional monitor with Aura glasses.
Karissa Bell for Engadget
When considering everything, Xreal is presenting a bold vision of what Android XR could achieve. My initial experience left me quite impressed with the setup. it raises the question of who the ideal user for Aura might be. The company has yet to announce pricing details, which will be revealed during the official launch later this year. it seems likely that it will be positioned as a premium product. Given that the Xreal One Pro glasses retail for $650, I anticipate that the more advanced Project Aura will be priced significantly higher. Nevertheless, I can easily envision Aura resonating with developers, vibe coders, and anyone seeking a lighter alternative to Samsung’s Galaxy XR headset.
Ethan Carter
