Google Android apps run through Xreal AR glasses compared to Apple Vision Pro

BEIJING – Games and movies in Google Play Store apps can now be viewed in three dimensions on a new Android mobile device from augmented reality glasses maker Xreal. Alibaba– the backed startup reported on Tuesday.

Beam Pro, the company’s latest product, is a smartphone-like device that can be used with augmented reality glasses as a virtual mouse and links the headset to Google Play Store apps, including apps for gaming, movie streaming and social media.

Augmented reality superimposes digital images onto the real world, giving the wearer the feeling of being in a virtual 3D space.

The latest Xreal product release is an indication of how Alphabet continues to linger in the headset market following the demise of Google Glass, even as Apple released its long-awaited VR offering this year.

AppleThe company’s Vision Pro allows users to see applications and a digital version of the real world using what the company calls spatial computing technology.

Xreal sells a range of AR glasses, some weighing just 72 grams (2.5 ounces), that can display the screen of a connected laptop, smartphone or gaming console. The Beam Pro, which connects to glasses via a cord, will begin shipping in August and will have a starting price of $199.

“We hope this product will finally become a mainstream product that people will really like,” Chi Xu, founder and CEO of Xreal, told CNBC.

“I think this is actually [is] will become a new category standard,” he said, adding that some smartphone makers might “really want to go down that route.”

Xu said part of the problem with wider adoption of AR glasses is a lack of content and an inability to include user-generated images.

The situation is starting to change this year. The Beam Pro has two cameras that can capture images and video for 3D viewing in AR glasses, similar to Apple’s Vision Pro’s advertised ability to capture “3D spatial photos and videos.”

Xreal reported that Beam Pro uses Nvidia CloudXR technology for image rendering and QualcommSnapdragon spatial computing platform. The startup said it is also collaborating with Amazon Web services to explore ways to improve processing power and product functionality.

According to IDC Research, Xreal had the largest AR headset market share in the world in 2023.

“Companies like XREAL and Rokid have demonstrated that there is an audience for AR glasses to consume gaming and media content without spending thousands of dollars, and this will undoubtedly attract the attention of other companies looking to do the same,” Ramon T. Llamas. , research director for IDC’s augmented and virtual reality team, said in an April report.

A pair of Xreal AR glasses cost between $200 and $400, depending on the model and promotion.

This means that a set of Xreal AR glasses and Beam Pro costs significantly less than $1,000. Apple charges $3,500 for its Vision Pro.

Xreal has sold “really close to 400,000” AR glasses since the company launched in 2017, Xu said. Average weekly usage is about 4 hours, with the top 15% of points exceeding 10 hours per week, he said.

In January, the company said it shipped 350,000 AR glasses. Around the same time, Xreal said it received a $60 million infusion, valuing the startup at more than $1 billion.

Xu said he expects tech glasses to evolve in three directions simultaneously, from heavier, more expensive virtual reality headsets to lightweight frames that can be worn all the time.

“Unfortunately, we won’t see an iPhone moment where everyone comes together,” he said, noting the headset’s variety of capabilities. “I believe different people find different flavors and combinations there. But not all of them are popular yet.”

It’s unclear how many Vision Pro Apple has sold since its launch in the US earlier this year. The headset is due to launch outside the US on June 28, starting in mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.

Beam Pro launched in China at the end of May. As of June 12, the number of orders had reached just under 5,000, Xu said, adding that he hoped the number of orders would reach about 10,000 by the end of the promotional period in mid-June.

Xu expects the Xreal Beam Pro to be able to use 5G cellular networks in addition to Wi-Fi by late August or early September.

Xu said that 5G support creates new opportunities for the development of cloud gaming, and that Xreal is already in talks with major global cloud gaming companies.

“I think this one [is going to] take cloud gaming to the next level because honestly, if you only play cloud gaming on your mobile, screen size doesn’t really matter, but [when] you can put augmented reality glasses on there, you’ll have a huge screen,” Xu said.

Cloud gaming relies on remote servers and an internet connection to offer people a seamless gaming experience after downloading a small file.

For non-gaming applications, Xu said Xreal’s strategy is to build on the existing technology habits of people using smartphones and gradually transform them into a 3D space.

“We’re not trying to radically change the way people use technology, right?” He said. “We’re trying to take small steps and get it done faster.”