https://www.theverge.com/2024/12/12/24319528/google-android-...
Seems like a very similar direction to visionOS. I’m glad Apple normalized the ability to run mobile apps spatially.
I do wonder how this affects Meta’s plans for horizonOS. Are access to Meta’s game library more important than access to androids ecosystem.
A crucial difference is that Android XR apparently has first-class support for 6DoF controllers (like Horizon OS) in addition to eye and hand tracking (like Vision OS) so it's aiming to compete on both fronts. Google thankfully didn't cargo-cult Apples decision to rely on eye and hand tracking, which is far from ideal for VR games.
Controllers would be nice but as a secondary input.
Google are apparently not mandating eye tracking or hand tracking. Which is nice for flexibility but you’re going to have a mishmash of interaction models for native apps.
Given Apple has not focused on gaming I think the decision they made was a good one too. You shouldn’t NEED special controllers to use the device like early VR headsets.
However there are definitely things that would work better with controllers. Not just gaming but things where you need very fine input or having multiple buttons to switch modes or something would be good.
So I hope the rumor turns out to be true.
The Quest Pro also supports eye tracking, though not sure how well-integrated that is into the experience. I believe it's used to achieve foveated rendering with steam link, though.
Yup and the Quest 2 and even the Quest 1 got it too! Though the Quest 1 is a bit behind the latest improvements though since it no longer receives OS updates.
I have some of all 3 models :)
I think requiring the gestures as the baseline control scheme is smart though since for something like a VR headset, having the controllers around and keeping them charged as well adds a lot of friction to using it. They should be an option though since basically any game requires it.
As it allows you to use the device without having to move your arms around.
The article just shows web pages, something that has been in XR headsets for long before VisionOS and in much greater numbers in the Quest to boot.
So what has been normalized? Who is buzzing about VisionOS apps?
Good thread outlining the comparison
That they showed it with just Chrome is a presentation issue on their part, but it’s definitely a value add when you’re not constrained to the limited subset of the apps for a fledgling platform.
It's true that Google and Apple are in a unique position to leverage their walled gardens. I'm not sure that needs normalizing.
Also relevant, queue the spiderman pointing at spiderman meme.
The renders of the Samsung device in the Verge article look _very_ close to Vision Pro, and unlike most of other AR/VR/XR/whateverR headsets on the market.
And headsets aren't super saturated and mature market like phones, where you can make the argument like "oh there's just so many ways to make a rectangular slab of glass". No other headsets look like that!
I do agree that the biggest innovation comes from the software, but come on.
Do you really consider those things innovations? I mean, the whole transparent eye thing is new for a production product like AVP, but still a pretty old idea. Maybe it originally came from Apple, I don't know. But dedicated chip for AR is definitely NOT a new idea nor innovative, nor is separation of battery and headset. It's definitely a lot more polished with those things than anything that's been built before, but polish != innovation
There’s no room in that kind of discussion space to talk about the actual details of implementation or anything with nuance that differentiates products.
> In the Moohan headset, I can say, “Take me to JYP Entertainment in Seoul,” and it will automatically open Google Maps and show me that building. If my windows get cluttered, I can ask it to reorganize them. I don’t have to lift a finger. While wearing the prototype glasses, I watch and listen as Gemini summarizes a long, rambling text message to the main point: can you buy lemon, ginger, and olive oil from the store? I was able to naturally switch from speaking in English to asking in Japanese what the weather is in New York — and get the answer in spoken and written Japanese.