China’s Xreal to power Google’s Android AI glasses as smart eyewear demand grows
A Chinese augmented reality startup is teaming up with Google to push the boundaries of smart eyewear. Xreal, known for its AR hardware, is collaborating with Google on Project Aura, an initiative to release AI-powered glasses built on the Android XR platform and Gemini AI next year. This collaboration highlights China’s advancing capabilities in research and development within the tech sector.
Project Aura debuted at Google’s I/O developers conference in May. The glasses resemble a pair of chunky sunglasses and run on Android XR, a unified XR platform developed through a collaboration between Google, Qualcomm, and Samsung. Gemini AI is integrated to bring artificial intelligence features to the device.
Aura employs a two-part chip design: an Xreal X1S chip embedded in the glasses themselves, and a separate tethered puck housing a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor that also contains the battery.
The eyewear uses optical see-through lenses, providing a clear view of the real world with a 70-degree field of view. It projects apps directly into the user’s line of sight and supports interaction through hand gestures, with access to Google Play apps.
“Project Aura demonstrates how Android XR can broaden its reach across the ecosystem, enabling new categories of XR devices,” said Shahram Izadi, vice president and general manager of Android XR at Google.
Xreal, which previously operated under the name Nreal, was founded in 2017 by Zhejiang University alumni Xu Chi, Wu Kejian, and Xiao Bing. The company has quickly established itself as a significant player in smart eyewear, and its Xreal One was recognized as one of Time magazine’s best inventions of 2025.
Would you be excited to use AI-powered glasses in your daily life, or do you have concerns about privacy and usability with this kind of technology?
