It looks like Google is bringing the Play Store to VR, and I hope it doesn’t just come to Samsung’s XR headset
When and where will it launch?
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Android is gearing up for an XR headset launch – at least, that’s according to leakedPlay Storecode which suggests that VR, AR, and MR tech like headsets and glasses will be able to download (or in some cases not download) Play Store apps directly.
Android Authoritydiscovered two XR references hidden in the code for the current version (43.3.32-31) of theGooglePlay Store app. The first is an icon that would appear next to a device name when the user is choosing where to install an app; rather than being the phone,Chromebookor tablet icons we’re used to, this icon looks like a pair of goggles – that is, rather like a VR headset.
The second clue is more explicit, in the shape of a warning label alerting the user that ‘This XR Headset isn’t compatible with this app’. This suggests that developers may need to add an update to bring their software to Android XR devices.
So is an XR version of Android and the Play Store coming? Probably.
Not surprising, but when will it launch
We know that Google andSamsungare partnering on some XR stuff, and while the specifics are up in the air it’s been assumed Samsung was providing the hardware (aSamsung XR headset) and Google the software (some version of Android), along the lines of their Samsung Galaxy phone collaboration.
What’s more, aSamsung AR glasses patentwe highlighted recently showed that the planned device runs on Android. Leaks, patents, and speculation aren’t as reliable as official info – so take these details with a pinch of salt – but as the saying goes, where there’s smoke there’s fire.
Google and Samsung had previously teased that we’d find out about their XR efforts sometime before the end of 2024; however with reports that the Samsung hardware is delayed that promise might not be kept.
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That said, there is already (kind of) an Android VR headset out there; in fact there are a few. TheMeta Quest 3,Quest 3Sand otherHorizonOS devicesrun on anoperating systemthat was derived from Android. While HorizonOS will likely remain its own entity, if Google wants to muscle in even without its own hardware it could launch an XR Play Store that’s downloadable on Quest.
The Quest hardware does already play nice with third-party launches like SideQuest, and given the number of legal disputes about platforms being too closed off – such asApplewalling off its devices by only allowing installs via its App Store (whichhas been described as monopolistic) – Meta may want to get ahead of similar accusations by allowing the Play Store onto its tech.
That is admittedly something of a pipe dream, but we’ll have to wait and see what Samsung and Google announce in the coming months. If Google is ready to go but Samsung isn’t, maybe the XR Play Store will launch elsewhere first.
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Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.
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