When I got a chance to use Android XR in December, my favorite aspect was getting to use the Gemini experience powered by Project Astra and Gemini 2.0. There’s now an extended look at that from MKBHD.
When Google announced Android XR last month, we couldn’t photograph Samsung’s Project Moohan prototype. As we move closer to the 2025 launch, Google let MKBHD video the hands-on experience and shared what footage from inside the headset looks like. This starts at 6:13.
When you activate Gemini from Quick Settings, it will listen for commands and is aware of what you’re seeing on the virtual screen, as well as the real-world from the front-facing cameras.
If you’re watching a video and see something interesting, you can just ask Gemini. This includes translations, what a venue is home to in Google Maps, and explaining what’s happening in a YouTube video. Gemini can also answer questions about the real world. For example, if there’s someone in front of you wearing a soccer/football jersey, you can ask Gemini how that team is doing and get a Google Search Knowledge Panel with league rankings.
What was most impressive to me at the time was how Gemini/Astra remains silent in the background until you explicitly ask a question. As such, you can seamlessly talk with other people while wearing the headset.
The naturalness of asking a question about what you’re viewing without any preface or specifying further is just like having another person next to you. Frankly, this justifies all the work and effort Google has put into Gemini as of late. Voice is how you’re supposed to interact with LLMs.
Astra is currently a standalone app for trusted testers and is set to arrive in the Gemini app on Pixel and Galaxy S25 in the coming months.
At last week’s S25 launch event, we got a closer look at the hardware. It does look like Vision Pro, but it’s lighter given the use of plastics instead of metal.
Additionally, I’d argue the “forehead rest” design is a meaningful improvement over Vision Pro as it better distributes the weight, likely reducing the need for a top strap. In today’s video, we also see how the cable attaches to the battery pack via USB-C, thus allowing you to use other units if you want extended usage.
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