While Android XR isn’t quite open-source yet, Google’s vision involves it powering a variety of partner headsets. Samsung is likely to kick things off with their own Android XR headset, but Sony, Lynx, and XREAL are in line to adopt the operating system as well.
Earlier this year, Meta shook things up by planning to make its Quest’s Horizon OS available to third-party manufacturers. Now, with Google’s introduction of Android XR, headset developers have more options to consider.
Google reveals that Sony, Lynx, and XREAL are on board with Android XR.
Sony seems to be setting its sights on Android XR for the SRH-S1, an MR headset tailored for enterprise use. When I had the chance to try out its prototype earlier this year, Sony played their cards close to the chest regarding their OS development or even where the apps would come from. Switching to Android XR appears to be a smarter move for Sony than creating an entirely new OS from scratch.
Speaking of Sony’s PSVR products, it seems that these will stay closely tied to the PlayStation OS. A shift to Android XR for these headsets doesn’t seem likely.
Lynx, on the other hand, has had quite the journey with its R-1 headset, which has had its fair share of hurdles, particularly in developing the necessary software infrastructure. According to Stan Larroque, the founder of Lynx, the current R-1 won’t jump on the Android XR bandwagon. However, future Lynx headsets are likely to do so. Adopting Android XR might be a strategic play for Lynx—cutting down software development chores and tapping into a richer ecosystem of apps.
XREAL is making strides with its AR glasses, mainly designed to create a large digital screen from your connected devices. While its exact plans for Android XR aren’t clear, it could lay the foundation for future innovations at XREAL.
Meta and Google are making strides in opening their XR OS platforms for third-party use, but the reality is, they’re still very much in control. Neither Horizon OS nor Android XR is truly open at this stage—only select partners get access to these systems.
With both tech giants competing to be labelled as the more ‘open’ option, it could soon lead to either, or both, making their XR systems genuinely open for anyone interested in diving into the XR world.
