Google has been working on Android XR, its platform for smart glasses and mixed reality headsets, for a while now and offered a first glimpse late last year.
During the recent TED2025 conference, Google showcased the first live demo of Android XR in action on a pair of prototype smart glasses.
This demo is now readily available for the public to view.
Previously, our only look at Android XR on smart glasses had been in a video posted by Google in December, where the company showcased a few examples of what the software looks like and what it will be capable of doing.
However, such clips have often been seen before for many smart glasses, and they rarely translate into practical, real-world applications.
During the TED2025 conference, Google’s Shahram Izadi led a talk in which he presented a demonstration of Android XR’s capabilities through the use of a pair of prototype glasses with the help of Nishtha Bhatia.
In the demonstration, viewers got a clear look at the lenses that display Android XR.
Izadi mentioned that the lenses are capable of supporting a prescription.
He used the glasses on stage to showcase speaker notes while explaining that they connect to a smartphone and can utilize “all your phone apps.”
The demonstration began with Android XR featuring Gemini generating a haiku on demand.
It quickly moved to a more complex scenario, where Nishtha turned around briefly and then asked Gemini several seconds later if it had noted “the title of the white book on the shelf behind me.”
Gemini then recited the title immediately, demonstrating impressive functionality.
Google had previously teased this capability as part of Project Astra, which is now included in Gemini Live on smartphones.
Following the book title query, the demo showcased the utility of locating a hotel key card on a shelf.
There were also simpler yet impressive demonstrations including explaining a diagram, translating a sign into English, and then translating that same sign into the Farsi (Persian) language.
Building on that, Nishtha spoke to Gemini in Hindi—without changing any settings—to which Gemini promptly replied in Hindi as well.
The demonstration further continued with XR applications where Gemini was shown recognizing a record and finding a song from that record to play on demand.
Navigation capabilities were also highlighted, showcasing a heads-up direction along with a 3D map.
The video further explored Android XR on headsets using Samsung’s Project Moohan headset, which Izadi reiterated is anticipated to launch later this year.
This portion of the demo aligned with hands-on experiences shared last year.
Examples included Google Maps Immersive View and using Gemini to receive tips while playing the game Stardew Valley.
The complete video of the live demo can be viewed below or on the TED website.
The prototype glasses showcased in the demonstration are reportedly an initial version of a product expected to be officially released by Samsung, potentially next year.
What do you think of this look at Android XR?
image source from：https://9to5google.com/2025/04/17/google-android-xr-smart-glasses-live-demo/
