ALBAWABA - Google and Samsung are making their most significant venture into the mixed-reality market with the release of Android XR, a new operating system intended to power AR/VR devices.
The project has been developed in partnership with Samsung with the goal of improving user engagement by using motion controls, speech, and eye-tracking capabilities, AFP reports.
Samsung's next Project Moohan, a mixed-reality headset that incorporates features from Apple's Vision Pro and Meta's Quest 3, will run Android XR. It will also support devices from other manufacturers, such as XREAL and Sony.
After previous products like Google Daydream and Samsung's Gear VR failed to find momentum, Google and Samsung are making a fresh attempt with the aim to mainstream AR/VR headgear, according to Yahoo.
By providing features like Google's Circle to Search, which enables users to gesture over items to access extensive details, Gemini AI improves Android XR. For example, by circling a picture and receiving real-time data, users may virtually try on attire and examine a product in 3D, as reported by AFP.
The interface of Project Moohan is similar to that of rival AR/VR systems in that it lets users place app windows in virtual environments while still being able to see their surroundings. Support for keyboards and mice also makes it possible to utilize large virtual screens for productive tasks.
Google’s President of Android Ecosystem, Sameer Samat, stated “We are at an inflection point for XR, where breakthroughs in multimodal AI enable natural and intuitive ways to use technology in everyday life.”
AR/VR headgear is still a limited market despite such developments. The industry predicts that 6.7 million devices will be shipped in 2024 and 22.9 million by 2028, which is far less than the pace at which smartphones are being adopted.
