Google has dabbled with VR a many times through several approaches and has shut those products down. Google glasses, Google Cardboard and many more have been added to Google graveyard.

Android XR is an extension of the Android platform and ecosystem. The Android XR SDK is designed to let you build XR apps using familiar Android frameworks and tools or using open standards such as OpenXR and WebXR. All compatible mobile or large screen apps will be available to install on XR headsets from the Play Store. Review the compatibility considerations to see if your app is compatible. [link]

Google’s new focus on XR might be however something they would double down in the era of AI first Google.

The key to AI success is going to be data collection. Tesla for example has billions of hours of footage of people driving around. Meta aims to collect similar data from their Quest headset. Google has similar data from youtube and Photos. Adding AI glasses to the mix will give Google a better source of wide variety of real world data.

I think Google and Apple are going to push for a future that they collect not just the photos and videos but also critical information about the world in which their users operate. This data will then create a foundation for future of AI which is not just about text or videos but is another step towards real world intelligence.