So guess what? Google kinda whispered its I/O developer schedule is out and, surprise surprise, Android XR is lurking in there somewhere. Are they yelling about it? Nope, not really. Isn’t it wild how they keep it all hush-hush?
It’s like, Android XR and Samsung’s brainchild—what did they name it again? Oh yeah, ‘Project Moohan’—they were dropped on us last December. Sorta just hanging out, biding their time ’cause we still got no clue on release dates. But hey, bets are they’re popping up later this year. Stay tuned, right?
Folks in the know (or at least pretending to be) claim Android XR will feature stuff like camera passthrough, which folks have been itching for. Developers got their mitts on the Android XR SDK, but we’re here tapping our feet, waiting to see if it can hold a candle to the XR big shots like Meta’s Horizon OS and Apple’s visionOS.
And get this, the I/O event is crammed with live-streamed keynotes on May 20-21. Only two talks are all things Android XR, and neither are live-streamed. Yeah, bummer. Still, there’s a ‘What’s New in Android’ stream. Maybe we’ll catch a crumb or two on Android XR there? Fingers crossed.
If livestreams leave us in the lurch, the little-noticed developer-focused talks might spill some beans. Is Google playing coy or just not ready for prime time? Who knows. They might just want to keep it cozy and developer-friendly for now, all hush-hush away from the big stage.
Digging into the whispers, they’re gearing up for a public drop later this year and whipping up a fresh XR toolchain. Words are Jetpack SceneCore and ARCore are cosying into an XR edition of Jetpack, now peeking its head as a developer preview. Mobile app dudes and dudettes would get to play with spatial layouts, 3D models, and whatnot. It’s all a push to sprout AR/VR stuff outta the same soil, I guess.
Oh, and not just for games. Adding stuff like 3D models, hand-tracking, and stereoscopic video into apps—a move to lure in all kinds of app builders. Google (potentially) aims to get XR apps jiving with their broader Android fam.
And Jetpack Compose, that UI toolkit? It’s XR-bound too, meaning streamlined UI design across mobile, tabs, and XR. It’s about making UI port or adapt less of a hair-pull—standardizing the look and feel, you know?
Interesting tidbit: one session’s hawking AI buzz for Android XR. Stuff like real-time object recognition and AI-gen scenes might just wiggle out by next Tuesday or so.
But wait: the lack of livestreams… why so shy, Google? Oh right, Samsung’s ‘Project Moohan’ supposedly blesses us with the first XR headset. And still, mum’s the word.
We’ll be peeping the streams n’ geek-talks hoping for a sliver of something no one else got. Who knows where this will land? But hey, something’s cooking. Grab your popcorn.
Oh, and for the lineup of talks, get this:
Building differentiated apps for Android XR with 3D content
- Sang by Dereck Bridié, a Developer Relations guy, and Patrick Fuentes, his partner in developer crime.
- Learn to sprinkle 3D models and hand-wavy tracking into your apps! Dive into the fresh features from the Android XR SDK, developer preview style, prepping for the big show later this year.
The future is now, with Compose and AI on Android XR
- Brought to you by the diligent Cecilia Abadie and creative tech wizard Jan Kleinert.
- Embark on a ride through the sparkly universe of immersive experiences with Android XR, catch the latest from Android XR SDK beta at I/O. Appreciate the kickass AI features and learn how to leverage your large-screen ventures into XR thrills.
And scene. Keep those eyes peeled—it’s showtime soon!
