Google and Xreal launch the Xreal Aura wired XR glasses, with Android XR and a puck with Snapdragon Reality Elite, for $1,099+ through December, then $1,279+ (Ivan Mehta/TechCrunch)

At the Android Developer Summit, smart glasses manufacturer Xreal unveiled its latest product, the Xreal Aura wired headset, which runs on the Android XR and Qualcomm Snapdragon Reality Elite platforms. The company first hinted at the device earlier this year during Google's I/O developer conference.

As Meta intensifies its smart glasses strategy, rival companies like Apple and Google are eager to launch their own devices. Google, leveraging its Android operating system, collaborates with various partners, including Samsung and Xreal, to bring Android XR-powered devices to consumers.

The Xreal Aura smart glasses connect to a smartphone-like device for processing power instead of being fully self-contained. They display content in the user's field of view. The glasses' appearance resembles Meta's smart glasses more closely than Apple's Vision Pro, which is a larger headset.

Equipped with Sony's Micro-OLED display, the Xreal Aura offers a 1200p resolution at 120Hz and a 95-degree field of view. While these specifications surpass those of Meta's Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, the Aura weighs more at 95 grams compared to Meta's 69 grams. Additionally, users must carry the accompanying puck.

At launch, the Xreal Aura supports numerous popular Google Play apps and games, as well as specific XR experiences, such as NBA App for Android XR, Nevatars, Fallout: Factions, Project Hail Mary: Journey Among the Stars, NASCAR XR App, and San Francisco Ballet Company's The Nutcracker.

Users can also choose to connect a computer or handheld gaming console to the Xreal Aura via USB-C, transforming it into an augmented display. The device can facilitate various entertainment and productivity use cases by setting up a multi-monitor setup or a large virtual screen.

For audio, the Xreal Aura utilizes Bose technology to deliver high-quality sound during video playback or music listening. Powered by Android XR, the glasses offer access to Gemini, an AI-powered Q&A assistant capable of providing context-aware responses.

The Xreal Aura is now available for pre-order in the United States, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. The 12GB + 256GB model is priced at $1,279 with a limited launch price of $1,099 through December, while the 16GB + 512GB variant costs $1,499 with a launch price of $1,299 through December. Manufacturing is set to commence in mid-November.