Google and Xreal's Aura glasses launch at $1,279 to rival Meta VR

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 7 Oct, 13:08 · Archive

Google and Xreal have opened pre-orders for the Aura smartglasses at $1,279, positioning them as direct competitors to Meta's VR Glasses announced two weeks ago. The Aura's starting price is $20 less than Meta's offering. A higher configuration with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage costs $1,499. Both devices weigh approximately 100 grams, making them significantly lighter than traditional headsets, because they use a tethered design with a separate compute puck that contains the Qualcomm Snapdragon Reality Elite chip, battery and software platform.

The Aura runs on Android XR and includes Google Play for apps and Gemini for AI capabilities. The glasses feature transparent lenses with a 70-degree field of view, allowing users to see their surroundings whilst virtual content is projected. The puck includes a built-in trackpad and fingerprint sensor for navigation. For audio, the Aura uses Bose-engineered technologies. By contrast, Meta's VR Glasses use passthrough camera vision to display the real world, offering a different visual experience. The Aura's transparent lenses provide a smaller field of view than Meta's passthrough glasses.

The two devices offer different control methods. The Aura uses a touchpad on the compute puck and hand-tracking to create virtual laser pointers for selection. Meta's glasses feature eye-tracking similar to the Apple Vision Pro, allowing users to select items by looking at them and pinching their fingers. Both devices support overlaying virtual objects and desktops on the real world, and both present a grid of floating app icons to launch applications.

Pre-orders for the Aura are currently limited to those who have already paid a reservation deposit, with the general public able to pre-order in the coming weeks. The glasses will begin shipping in the US, Canada, Japan and South Korea, with expansion to additional regions planned for 2027. The Aura is available in two sizes: medium (60-66mm) and large (66-72mm).

How it is being reported

• At $1,279, Google’s Xreal Aura will go head-to-head with Meta’s VR GlassesTwo weeks ago, journalists in the San Francisco Bay Area got to try two hot new wearables that weigh only around 100 grams: the just-revealed Meta VR Glasses, and the long-awaited transparent Google XR glasses built in partnership with Xreal. It turns out they're going head-to-head. Xreal has just opened Aura pre-orders starting at $1,279, […]The Verge · 7 Oct, 13:00
• I Put on Meta and Xreal’s XR Glasses. Face Computers Are Finally Getting GoodXreal’s long-hyped Aura glasses arrive soon for $1,279. Here’s how they fare against Meta’s recently announced VR Glasses.Wired · 7 Oct, 13:00
• Xreal's Aura Android XR smartglasses will cost you at least $1,279Xreal's Aura smartglasses are powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite chip.Engadget · 7 Oct, 13:00

In this story: Google · Xreal · Meta · Qualcomm · Bose · US · Canada · Japan

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem