The smartphone; the war-torn battleground where Android and iOS have butt heads for years. Both are absolutely fantastic operating systems, but the popularity of Apple’s devices outshines everything else. Heck, between 50% and 60% of the U.S. smartphone market belongs to the iPhone throughout the year. But, that’s just smartphones.
There’s another form factor that’s taking flight, and that’s the XR headset. This industry is still getting its footing with companies like Meta and Apple having the most notable offerings. However, for how popular (well, meme-worthy) the Apple Vision Pro was, Android XR has a better chance of actually making XR mainstream.
What is Android XR
To catch you up, Google developed an operating system called Android XR with the help of its BFF Samsung. At the time of writing this piece, we’re still learning about what this operating system will look like and how it’ll function. However, it’s basically going to be the Android of the XR world. Just like with the Android smartphone operating system, different manufacturers will be able to load Android XR onto their devices.
This operating system supports visual passthrough, which lets people see the real world around them, along with hand gestures and so on. So far, it’s shaping up to be a pretty interesting operating system. It basically looks like Android on a floating interface. So, why does this operating system have a better chance of hitting the mainstream than Apple’s offering?
XR for all
Though the Apple Vision Pro eventually flopped, Apple was able to move a good chunk of units. This was mostly because the company was able to leverage its name. It has a massive fan base of people willing to give it a shot. However, Apple brought the same closed-off mentality to Vision OS that it maintains with iOS.
The company keeps its operating system locked down like Alcatraz and restricted to one device platform. This mentality works for phones, but XR headsets are not quite as ubiquitous as these devices. This means that Vision OS will remain this locked-down operating system on a rather niche device. The fact that the Vision Pro didn’t sell well only makes this worse.
Android XR’s approach is much better for a market like XR headsets. Again, this industry is still growing into its own at the moment despite having some rather neat devices already. For it to truly take off, the barrier to entry for manufacturers needs to be as low as possible. Developing software from the ground up to work on their headset is one major barrier that manufacturers have to face.
So, releasing a more open operating system that other companies can use will help the XR industry greatly. More companies will be able to launch their own devices because the burden of developing and maintaining their own operating system will be gone. Android XR will have software updates and maintenance via Google.
Software
Also, we can’t forget about the other major part of the software puzzle, and that’s… software. Headsets running Android XR will be able to run apps from the Google Play Store. So, manufacturers won’t need to develop their own basic apps to run on their own operating systems. They’ll have access to a wide range of apps from other developers.
Apple remains the only company that makes the Vision Pro and Meta is the only company that develops the Meta Quest devices, and their operating systems are tied to their devices. These two companies can’t support the whole XR industry all their own. What will make the industry flourish is access to software. Android XR will give device makers that access.
Let’s talk about price
We can’t ignore the elephant in the room, the Apple Vision Pro is extremely expensive! Apple brought a truly next-level experience, but let’s face it, the company has a fan base of financially endowed individuals. Many core Apple fans have the funds to burn on the newest iPhone each year, so the company saw the opportunity to charge the same price for the Vision Pro as most people pay for engagement rings.
However, for as capable as the Vision Pro is, we know that any company can provide a usable and compelling XR experience for less (A LOT less!). If you want to experience the Vision Pro, that’ll be $3,500. However, what about the $400 and $500 headsets that can perform basically the same duty? What about the headsets that you can buy on a more modest budget? Vision OS will remain on the exorbitant Vision Pro, and Apple might not make a successor.
Android XR will be loaded onto headsets in different price ranges. Just like with Android smartphones, people from all walks of life will be able to experience XR for themselves. Whether you’re a wealthy person or just an average Joe looking to have a good time, you’ll be able to see what XR has to offer. Sure, you’ll run the risk of running into cheaply-made headsets that don’t stack up, but that’s how it is with all industries.
Apps, apps, and more apps
Why aren’t there more smartphone operating systems out there? Well, try getting app developers to make apps for iOS, Android, and a bunch more operating systems that all use different code. Nobody wants to use an operating system that nobody is developing for. Well, this also applies to XR headsets.
Providing an operating system that can run on a wider range of devices will open the door for more developers to build XR apps. The Vision Pro remained a pretty niche device, as not many people can afford it. There’s not much incentive for a developer to spend the time and money making an app for a device that appeals to a narrow market. There aren’t many avenues to earn revenue. Larger companies can recuperate the cost of development, but this leaves smaller, yet still capable, developers out in the dust.
However, would you rather develop an app that will be used by one niche device or by a wide range of more affordable and accessible devices? Having an open platform will encourage more developers to build software for it.
At the time of writing this, we know that Android XR devices will have access to the Google Play Store. Right now, we don’t know what apps will be available for headsets. We don’t know if the Play Store will have a designated set of select apps or if the company will try to force all available apps to work on headsets. In any case, from the information we do have, we know that you’ll be able to run apps like Google Chrome, Google Translate, Google One, Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Drive on Android XR. Along with that, we know that you’ll be able to run games on it as well.
We should expect to see more app developers building for Android XR as the market and community around XR grows. This is similar to smartphone app developers.
Freedom!
This is comedic in nature, but it hints at a pretty substantial issue with Apple’s mentality toward the Apple Vision Pro. Not too long after the device launched, the internet was rocked by the fact that you couldn’t watch porn with the Vision Pro. While that’s pretty funny, it’s rather frustrating when you think about it. Not the fact that you can’t watch porn, but the fact that Apple felt the need to dictate what people can and can’t do with the device.
Another issue is that Apple didn’t design it to do any sort of gaming because it didn’t feel that it aligned with the device’s intention. The company was heavy-handed with how it wanted to police how people use a device which, let us remind you, costs $3,500! When the end user pays THAT MUCH money for an ultra-powerful multimedia device, Apple shouldn’t rightfully restrict what the user can and can’t do.
Opening up the XR space to more OEMs and developers will give people more freedom to experience XR to its fullest extent. We’re talking about using their headsets for business, art, gaming, and much more.
When Steve Jobs first introduced us to the iPhone, no one could anticipate how the smartphone would revolutionize the world as we knew it. Well, we’re at the beginning of the XR age, and there isn’t a living soul who knows what’s to come. We need the freedom to discover what’s possible, and we can’t with Apple’s training wheels on the software. Apple’s suit-and-tie approach to XR only lock the experience down to a certain type of person, and that’s not a good way to bring this tech into the mainstream.
More hardware, more innovation
Apple has brought some major innovations to the smartphone over the past nearly 20 years, but it’s just one fruit on a giant tree. The smartphone is where it is because of the diverse community of OEMs over the years iterating, emulating, and innovating. We’ve seen soapple me amazing tech from other companies like Samsung, LG, Google, Motorola, HTC, Huawei, Xiaomi, Sony, Vivo, OnePlus, and thousands more.
The same thing applies to XR. Right now, fledgling XR companies are getting ready to bring their own hardware innovations to the market. They’ll challenge Apple and Samsung to bring their own unique experiences. En route to that, they’re going to bring their own hardware innovations that will push XR forward. And you know what, other companies will wind up challenging those companies and bring further advancements. Iteration, Emulation, and Innovation! Android XR will open the door to this just like what Android did for the smartphone.
Let’s wrap this up
Don’t worry, this isn’t a hit piece on the Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s device is a marvelous piece of technology and a testament to the quality that Apple has brought over the years. It’s the same mentality that makes the iPhone, the iPad, and all of Apple’s computers/laptops so great.
However, the XR market isn’t the computer market or the smartphone market. It’s blossoming in a time when we need competition and variety more than ever. Apple can’t rely on exclusivity, premium market appeal, and a locked-down operating system anymore. It can with its phones and computers because it has a fan base that’s been pretty-much grandfathered in over the decades.
But, it’s a brave new world, and people want options. They crave an open operating system that lets them be free to explore, invent, and chart new territory. This is what Android XR will facilitate, and it’s why it can do what Apple couldn’t.
2024-12-28 15:05:21