Reports suggest that Google is poised to integrate the Play Store with its Android XR development efforts, potentially enhancing the overall user experience for this emerging mobile platform.
The Google Play Store is the primary app store for Android devices, serving users on smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and compatible TVs and Chromebooks.
Android Authority discovered through decompiling the Play Store app that a previously unknown “XR headset” string exists within the code, suggesting compatibility with an unannounced headset when displayed on an app’s listing, accompanied by a related headset icon for remote installation purposes.
According to recent findings, Google appears to be making progress towards unveiling more details about its impending Android XR platform, slated for release within a forthcoming VR headset jointly developed with Samsung.
Samsung unveiled its long-awaited headset back in February 2023, just four short months ago announcing a revised launch timeline for this year. Last month, however, South Korea reportedly revealed that Samsung has pushed back the release of its virtual reality (VR) headset to 2025, making it increasingly likely that the product won’t hit shelves in November or December as initially anticipated.
The newly reported delay is significantly different from the original one. Google announced at its I/O 2023 conference that it may provide further updates on the partnership, but those details never materialized. Months following the launch of Imaginative and prescient Pro, Samsung reportedly undertook a comprehensive redesign in response to unexpectedly robust demand for the device, according to SBS Biz, a South Korean news outlet.
The first public hint at genuine progress in Google and Samsung’s collaborative efforts has emerged, courtesy of Android Authority, foreshadowing a long-awaited unveiling is finally on the horizon. And Samsung is poised to be the pioneer in harnessing the potential of Android XR, with Google actively courting other hardware manufacturers – yet, thus far, none have publicly committed to adopting the new operating system.
