A first look at Google’s Project Aura glasses built with Xreal

Google provided this photo of Project Aura, as we were not allowed to take our own. | Photo: Google, Xreal

Teased at Google I/O, Project Aura is a collaboration between Xreal and Google. It's the second Android XR device (the first being Samsung's Galaxy XR headset) and is expected to launch in 2026. Putting it on, I get why the term "smart glasses" doesn't exactly fit.

Is it a headset? Smart glasses? Both? Those were the questions running through my head as I held Project Aura in my hands in a recent demo.