[News] Google Teams Up with Alibaba-backed Xreal for Project Aura, Second Android XR Device

A decade after its rocky start with the first prototype of Google Glass in 2013, Google is making a strong comeback. At Google I/O 2025, the tech giant teamed up with China’s Xreal to launch Project Aura, a new Android XR device, according to Bloomberg and The Verge.

The announcement, as per Bloomberg, implies that Samsung’s Project Moohan, which resembled Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro headset, is not the only Android XR glasses. As noted by TechNews, this is the second device since the Android XR platform launched last December.

According to The Verge, Xreal spokesperson Ralph Jodice teased that more details will drop next month. For now, the report suggests that the product would run on Gemini and offers a wide field of view. Moreover, Project Aura will run a Qualcomm chipset optimized for XR, hinting at a hardware evolution compared to Xreal’s current devices, The Verge indicates.

From the product renders, the glasses have cameras near the hinges and nose bridge, plus mics and buttons on the arms, the report adds.

Xreal Claims to Rival Meta’s Orion

It is worth noting that Xreal, the Alibaba-backed Chinese tech firm, describes Project Aura as a sleek, lightweight XR device, as per CNBC. Another Anue report implies that Xreal leads the global AR market, known for its expertise in compact, portable AR glasses.

Anue also suggests that Project Aura will leverage the optical see-through (OST) tech, and Xreal claims it can deliver hardware more advanced and affordable than Meta’s Orion prototype. As their current devices cost between $200 and $600, Project Aura is expected to stay budget-friendly, the report says.

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(Photo credit: Xreal)