Google Android XR Glasses: A Subdued Approach

According to ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK, Google's new Android XR glasses represent a shift towards subtlety after a decade of smart glasses that tried too hard. Google previously launched Google Glass, a computer and video camera in spectacles. The specs were considered ugly, the computer ineffectual, and the camera intrusive. The unease of Glass in public was evident.

More than a decade later, Google appears to have learned from this. The new Android XR glasses don’t draw attention to themselves and don’t seem to be trying to change the world. These glasses were revealed during the opening keynote of Google I/O 2025 in Mountain View last week.

Gemini Integration

Shahram Izadi, vice president of engineering at Google, presented the Android XR glasses as a direct application of Gemini, Google’s AI model. According to Izadi, Gemini runs on the glasses, providing immediate access to information only when needed. He described it as ambient computing where AI blends into the environment, enhancing awareness rather than replacing it.

Hands-on Experience

In the AI Sandbox demo zone at Google I/O, there was a chance to try the glasses. A prototype pair was provided, and the user was invited to look around. When the glasses were pointed at a reproduction of a painting and Gemini was asked what the painting represented, the system identified the work, gave a brief background on the artist, and explained the symbolism, projected clearly into the field of view. A follow-up question resulted in a repeat of the first answer.

For the rest of the demo, the prototype responded well to short, unambiguous questions. Gemini could retrieve calendar events, summarise recent headlines, and give location-based answers. The overlay appeared briefly, then faded. The design didn’t try to draw attention and there was no camera in sight. The frames looked like standard glasses, and the system required a tethered phone.

Izadi stated that the new design principles were based on minimalism, emphasizing that the interface should adapt to the user. There was no mention of launch timing or final specifications. The focus was on showing what’s possible. Google co-founder Sergey Brin reflected on the company’s earlier attempt at smart glasses, acknowledging the social implications of having a camera on one's face.

The new glasses avoid any sense of surveillance, with no suggestion of recording, no indicator lights, and no attempt to be anything more than a quiet assistant. Other testers found the same, noting the clarity of responses and smooth interaction. The system wasn’t pushed beyond basic tasks, and in that range, it performed well. The glasses offer a focused tool for lightweight tasks, framed around presence instead of performance.

The XR glasses offer a glimpse of something that could fit into the present, but it needs to continue learning what to do when the questions get more interesting.