Google today unveiled that it’s bringing several new features for Android XR, which are aimed at giving the platform a more immersive experience for both work and play, including users with Samsung’s Galaxy XR headset. According to Google’s official announcement:
Since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy XR late last year, people have been using Android XR to explore immersive apps and games with Gemini by their side. Starting today, we’re rolling out new experiences designed to deepen your immersion, make using the headset even more natural and bring you more ways to watch, create and explore.
The updates include a new auto-spatialization feature which can be accessed via the Labs section of the device settings, and allows users to convert standard apps, games, and web content into 3D experiences. This feature applies depth to 2D content such as YouTube videos or even Chrome web pages, for example.
For Productivity and spatial awareness, users can now permanently pin applications to physical walls within their room, so elements like virtual calendars or streaming screens remain anchored in the same physical location even throughout different sessions. The update also adds a new session restoration function which automatically reopens previously used apps when the headset is put back on.
Android XR users will also notice that the “home space” will feature visual changes—the update replaces generic white outlines with a render of the user’s physical hands, so gestures like pinching and swiping feel more natural. Additionally, improvements have been made to hand tracking, eye tracking, and general accessibility for a more responsive user interface.
In terms of XR-compatible content, Google says that The Play Store now hosts over 100 applications specifically optimized for XR, which has more than doubled since the launch of the Galaxy XR.
