While Android XR isn’t fully open-source just yet, Google has big plans for it to power multiple partner headsets. Samsung is rumored to be the first to roll out an Android XR headset, but companies like Sony, Lynx, and XREAL also seem eager to jump on the bandwagon.
Earlier this year, Meta shook things up by announcing plans to allow third-party access to its Quest’s Horizon OS. Now, with the introduction of Android XR, headset manufacturers have another enticing option.
Google has confirmed that Sony, Lynx, and XREAL are all on board with Android XR.
When it comes to Sony, their SRH-S1 enterprise-focused MR headset seems like a prime candidate for Android XR. During a hands-on experience with the headset earlier this year, Sony was quite guarded about whether they’d be crafting their own platform or how users would access content. Opting for Android XR makes more sense for Sony than developing a brand-new XR OS from scratch.
However, for their existing and upcoming PSVR headsets, we anticipate Sony will remain loyal to the PlayStation OS rather than making a switch to Android XR.
Switching gears to Lynx, their R-1 MR headset has been in development for quite some time, struggling to hit the market partly due to the challenge of building a comprehensive software stack. Stan Larroque, Lynx’s founder, shared with Road to VR that while the current R-1 won’t embrace Android XR, future Lynx headsets certainly will. This strategy could be a game-changer for Lynx, cutting software development costs and opening up a wider ecosystem of apps and content.
On the XREAL front, the company is known for their AR glasses designed to project content from other devices onto a large, floating screen. However, their specific plans for Android XR remain a bit of a mystery. It seems likely, though, that Android XR will lay the groundwork for XREAL’s future endeavors.
Although both Meta and Google are leaning towards making their XR operating systems available to third-party headsets, they still retain significant control. At the moment, neither Horizon OS nor Android XR is truly ‘open.’ Only select partners get a key to these systems.
However, now that both OS options are on the table, competition is heating up. This rivalry could nudge one or both companies towards genuinely opening up their XR OS, allowing anyone to take advantage of these powerful platforms.
