Three Cameras, A Compute Puck On A Lanyard, Featherlight Frames And Android XR Running Underneath: Project Aura Is The Halfway Point The Smart Glasses Market Has Been Waiting For
According to Gizmodo’s Raymond Wong, who demoed Project Aura at Google I/O 2026, the glasses run on Google’s Android XR spatial platform and are confirmed for a global launch this year, though neither Google nor Xreal has shared pricing or a specific release date.
Wong described Project Aura as a halfway point between displayless smart glasses like the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses and a more immersive headset like the Apple Vision Pro or Samsung Galaxy XR. The glasses felt identical to Xreal’s One Pro AR glasses; super light and not at all uncomfortable with three cameras built in: one in the nose bridge for photos and videos, and two on the sides for hand tracking.
A cable from the left arm connects to a compute puck worn around the neck on a lanyard, resembling the Vision Pro’s external battery pack. The puck also features a trackpad on its surface. Pricing and an exact ship date remain undisclosed.
The spatial computing experience is not as immersive as a full headset. But as Wong noted, that may not be the point. Most people will not strap a bulky device to their face. A pair of glasses they actually wear; that is a different product entirely.
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