TL;DR
- A new on-stage demo video shows Android XR’s capabilities, including multimodal interactions, spatial windows for apps, and immersive Google TV and Maps experiences.
- The Google presenters in the video are wearing Samsung’s upcoming “Project Moohan” headset and controlling the experience using hand gestures and Gemini voice commands.
- The demo highlights how users can easily share the headset, with the goal of making it accessible and social for multiple users.
The first official live demo of Google’s Android XR platform and Samsung’s upcoming ‘Project Moohan‘ headset is now doing the rounds on the internet. Posted by an X user and former Google Product Manager named Bilawal Sidhu, the video shows two Google representatives demoing an Android XR headset and its capabilities to a group of developers.
It’s unclear if the headset being used is a prototype or the final version that Samsung plans to launch next year. Nevertheless, the video shows what the Android XR experience could look like whenever the headset is ready to roll out.
An indicator on the interface shows when Gemini is active in a multimodal conversational experience. We also see the demonstrator scroll a webpage by simply moving his hands like one would on a trackpad or a screen.
Apps will exist in what Google calls “spatial windows,” allowing users to move and resize them in their field of view using hand gestures. We also see how the Google TV experience could look like in Android XR, with users being able to scroll through titles that appear floating above the real world.
First ever live demo of Samsung’s mixed reality headset running Android XR!
Gemini AI built right in, the Google apps you know and love with a very intuitive UX.
Also cool to see Google maps immersive view playing a key role which I cofounded & led product for while at Google! pic.twitter.com/kUHclfxGge
The person wearing the headset can also be heard using the “Hey Gemini” hotword instead of “Hey Google,” indicating that Android XR devices will offer a Google Assistant-free experience.
The clip further highlights how users will be able to watch spatial VR videos and take advantage of newly built immersive Maps experiences on Android XR-powered devices like the upcoming Samsung headset. The presenters also discuss how Google is collaborating with Samsung to make the headset more shareable, allowing one user to easily remove it and pass it to another.
Interestingly, we don’t see any gaming demo here, but we do know that the headset will support the experience and will ship with controllers.
What do you think of Google’s Android XR demo? Is it convincing enough to make you want to buy the upcoming Samsung headset? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
