I tried both of Google's AI glasses prototypes and spoke to Android XR's senior product director about the different types of smart glasses we can expect and the challenges developing them — Here's ev

Before the Android Show: XR Edition showcased Android XR's future, I enjoyed an hour-long private demo, testing three pairs of Android XR glasses: The monocular AI glasses first introduced at I/O 2025, a new binocular HUD prototype, and the XREAL Project Aura XR glasses.

My first Android XR glasses demo at I/O only lasted five minutes, scratching the surface with a few apps. This time, I used these single-HUD glasses for over 30 minutes, testing Gemini, Google Maps and Translate, YouTube Music, Uber, and other glasses-based apps.

Next, Google had me try a new binocular glasses prototype — meaning they use dual displays with a wider FoV and 3D depth capabilities. Then I tested XREAL Project Aura, photographed above, which uses the same UI and pinch gestures as Galaxy XR but with a lighter