Sure thing, let’s dive into this Android XR adventure, shall we? So, Google’s back at it again, throwing out a new Developer Preview for the Android XR SDK. Picture this: it’s got all these jazzy updates—like, immersive video features and even hand-tracking. Yeah, I know, fancy, right? I swear, tech these days feels like sci-fi on steroids. Anyway, they dropped this bombshell during Google I/O, a geek fest I totally missed ’cause I was…well, probably getting lost watching cat videos or something.
Anyway—wait, no, where was I? Right! So, they’re giving developers a toolkit to whip up XR-native apps or make existing Android apps, like, headset-friendly. One of the coolest bits? Now you can watch your VR vids in 180° or go full circle with 360° stereoscopic videos. It’s like, you’re almost there but not quite. Happy medium? Maybe.
Jetpack Compose for XR… yeah, about that. It’s a whole new thing—Google’s trying to unite UI design with their declarative UI toolkit. Almost sounds like a techy soap opera, doesn’t it? But if you’re a developer, it’s pretty darn nifty. SubspaceModifier and SpatialExternalSurface are in there too. Whatever those mean. Honestly, I just nod along anytime someone throws tech jargon my way.
Oh, and hand-tracking! Imagine waving at your screen and having it respond like a pet that actually listens. Apparently, you get 26 joints for gestures. Don’t ask me why 26. My guess is as good as yours.
Funny thing is, most Android XR devs probably don’t even own official headsets yet. Go figure. But they do have this Android XR Emulator, which I guess is the next best thing. It’s sort of like playing with candles when you dream of a fireplace. Close enough until the real deal comes out—like Samsung’s Project Moohan. No clue what that’s about, though I suspect it’s more than just a cool name.
They’ve improved this emulator with AMD GPU support, better stability… you know, the usual blah blah all meant to make life easier for developers. Also, Unity jumped on board with their OpenXR tweaks. If you’re a gaming nerd, unity’s your playground—it’s all about amping up the fun with dynamic refresh rate and magic spells like SpaceWarp.
Kidding. No spells yet. Fingers crossed for the future.
Moving on, they’ve released these Android XR Samples for Unity, which are basically starter packs. Tracking your hand, face, or even the darn floor is part of the deal. At this point, I’m just waiting for it to recognize my dog’s barks too.
Honestly, Android XR might not be everyone’s cup of tea right now—it wasn’t exactly the star of Google I/O—but Google’s inching forward with those XR smart glasses. Rumor has it, Warby Parker and Gentle Monster are working on it too. Maybe we’ll all be walking around wearing these techy specs while pretending we’re living in a futuristic dystopia. Who knows?
Anyway, if you’re curious, just dive into the deep end with the Android XR Developer Preview and see what all the fuss is about. But that’s just me rambling—I’ll stop now before I go chasing another tangent.
