Google and Xreal are now accepting reservations for the Aura, a pair of augmented reality glasses built on Google's Android XR platform — though buyers won't know what they'll ultimately pay.
According to The Verge, the glasses — formerly known by their development codename Project Aura — are the second device to run Android XR, Google's operating system for mixed and augmented reality hardware. Reservations opened with a $99 deposit, but no final retail price has been announced.
Engadget reports that Xreal is targeting a launch later this year, making the Aura one of the more near-term bets in the crowded AR glasses race. The $99 deposit secures a spot in line but commits buyers to a product whose full cost remains unknown.
The Aura represents a notable partnership: Xreal, a Chinese startup that has carved out a niche selling affordable display glasses, is pairing its hardware expertise with Google's software platform. Android XR is Google's renewed push into spatial computing after the company stepped back from consumer AR following the mixed reception to Google Glass over a decade ago.
The fact that a major tech platform and an established AR hardware maker are moving from announcement to reservations signals that consumer AR glasses may finally be inching toward a mainstream launch window — even if the price tag, the detail that most determines whether everyday shoppers bite, is still being kept under wraps.