By ByteBot
Google released Android XR SDK Developer Preview 3 this week, officially opening AI glasses development to all developers. The update ships with two critical libraries—Jetpack Projected (extends mobile apps to glasses hardware) and Jetpack Compose Glimmer (UI toolkit for transparent displays)—plus an AI Glasses emulator in Android Studio. Developers can start building augmented experiences today using the emulator, with Samsung’s lightweight glasses (Project Haean) and other hardware partners launching in 2026. This is Google’s strategic response to Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses dominance, positioning Android XR as the “Android for glasses” with an open platform approach.
Three Developer Tools Available Today
Developer Preview 3 delivers immediate value: Jetpack Projected bridges Android phone apps to glasses hardware, Jetpack Compose Glimmer optimizes UI for see-through displays, and the AI Glasses emulator in Android Studio simulates touchpad and voice input. No hardware required—developers can build and test complete experiences right now.
Jetpack Projected lets you “extend your existing mobile app” with minimal code changes, providing “access to projected device hardware, such as the camera” according to Google’s official announcement. Jetpack Compose Glimmer offers “UI components optimized for the input modality and styling requirements of display AI Glasses” with six typography styles for transparent display legibility. The emulator runs in Android Studio Canary (Otter 3, Canary 4+), supporting touchpad and voice interactions.
Moreover, ARCore adds motion tracking and geospatial capabilities for location-based AR. Consequently, developers can build turn-by-turn AR navigation, live translation overlays, and hands-free productivity tools immediately. This is the opposite of vaporware—tools ship before hardware, giving early adopters a 12-month window to build ecosystem advantage before Samsung’s 2026 glasses launch.
Related: Google Gemini Deep Research: 46.4% HLE Score, Developer API Live
Android XR vs Meta Ray-Ban: Open Platform Strategy
Android XR follows Google’s open platform strategy—multiple hardware partners (Samsung, Sony, others), developer-first approach, Google Play distribution. This contrasts sharply with Meta Ray-Ban’s closed ecosystem, where Meta AI dominates and third-party apps are limited or nonexistent. Furthermore, Google is betting the “Android for glasses” model will repeat smartphone platform dominance.
Samsung ships two devices: Project Moohan headset (late 2025) and Project Haean lightweight glasses (2026). Partners include Gentle Monster and Warby Parker for consumer-focused designs, signaling a fashion-forward approach rather than enterprise-only positioning. InfoQ notes Developer Preview 3 “enables developers to create applications for these devices ahead of their commercial launch”—strategic ecosystem building before hardware availability.
Platform competition matters. If Google succeeds, developers get choice across multiple hardware vendors. If Meta dominates, it’s an iPhone-style walled garden. Developers betting on Android XR gain early mover advantage in what could be the next smartphone-scale platform. However, Meta has a head start—Ray-Ban smart glasses ship now with proven consumer demand, while Google’s hardware won’t arrive until 2026.
Privacy Could Kill Adoption Before It Starts
Always-on cameras and microphones in discreet eyewear raise “significant privacy concerns,” according to Kleanthi Sardeli, a lawyer at NOYB (European digital rights group), speaking to Reuters in 2025. Bystander consent is unsolved—how do you notify people they’re being recorded by someone’s glasses? Indeed, EU regulators are already flagging risks before hardware ships.
Google acknowledges the stakes. “Our belief here is that glasses can fail based on a lack of social acceptance. So, in other words, we have to be fully leaned in [to privacy],” a Google spokesperson told CNN in December 2025. The “Glasshole” stigma from Google Glass 1.0 (2013-2014) persists. Meta updated its Ray-Ban privacy policy effective April 29, 2025, removing the option to prevent voice recordings from being stored—always-on AI features are now mandatory.
Privacy could be the make-or-break factor. If EU regulators restrict usage or public backlash grows (“Glasshole 2.0”), AI glasses could fail regardless of technical capabilities. Developers need to design for bystander awareness and consent—not just user experience. Social acceptance matters more than technical specs. Unlike smartphone cameras, which are obvious when activated, smart glasses make recording invisible. That’s a fundamental UX challenge no SDK can solve.
Related: 8M Users’ AI Chats Sold by “Privacy” VPN Extensions
What to Build: Navigation, Translation, Hands-Free Productivity
The SDK enables practical use cases: turn-by-turn AR navigation with geospatial overlays, live translation of text and speech displayed as captions, hands-free notifications and voice commands, AR shopping (virtual try-on), and social experiences with spatial audio. Additionally, ARCore provides motion tracking and geospatial capabilities. Jetpack Compose Glimmer’s high-contrast, minimal UI suits peripheral vision use.
Focus on utility, not gimmicks. Success means solving problems smartphones can’t—hands-free operation, always-available contextual information, augmented real-world views. Failure means treating glasses like phone screens: cluttered UI, battery drain, forced interactions. Consider warehouse workers accessing inventory data without holding devices, travelers translating foreign signs instantly, or drivers navigating without looking down. These are the killer apps.
Samsung’s 2026 timeline gives developers roughly 12 months to build before hardware launch. Early apps get launch visibility and ecosystem positioning. However, this isn’t immediate—developers need patience. Pricing likely lands between $300-$600 (vs. Meta Ray-Ban’s $299-$379), targeting tech early adopters before mainstream consumer expansion.
Key Takeaways
- Developers can start building TODAY with the AI Glasses emulator—no hardware needed. Download Android Studio Canary, access Jetpack Projected and Jetpack Compose Glimmer, and start testing experiences immediately.
- Samsung glasses ship 2026, giving developers a 12-month window for early adoption advantage. Apps ready at hardware launch gain ecosystem visibility and positioning.
- Open platform (Android XR) vs. closed (Meta Ray-Ban)—the familiar smartphone platform battle. Google bets multiple hardware partners and developer choice will win long-term.
- Privacy concerns are real and could kill adoption. Bystander consent, EU regulation, and “Glasshole” stigma are unsolved. Developers must design for social acceptance, not just technical capability.
- Focus on utility: navigation, translation, hands-free productivity. Solve problems smartphones can’t—don’t treat glasses like phone screens. Success = contextual, always-available information without cluttered UI.
The 2026 launch is one year away. Developers who start now—building for emulator, refining use cases, addressing privacy UX—position themselves for the platform’s launch. Whether Android XR repeats Android’s smartphone dominance or fades like Google Glass 1.0 depends on developer adoption and, critically, social acceptance of always-on wearable cameras.
