After those Android Show teases, I’m hoping for Android XR hands-on demos at I/O

One of the big things I was personally hoping to see detailed during “The Android Show: I/O Edition” yesterday was Android XR, and perhaps a closer look at the new headsets and glasses set to run this new platform. Well, we didn’t get many details, but Google definitely ended the show with a flourish that has me excited about what I/O might hold next week.

Right at the end of the show, Android head Sameer Samat rather cheekily put on a pair of what looked like Android XR sunglasses. He didn’t say a word about them, just a knowing look, saying, “We’ll have deep dives from developers, the latest on Google Gemini, and maybe even a few more really cool Android demos.”

Android XR demos at Google I/O 2025?

Now, call me an optimist, but I’m really hoping this wasn’t just a stylish exit. Could this be a strong hint that these glasses will be properly shown off, maybe even demoed, at Google I/O?

But, of course, Google couldn’t just come out and spill the beans, and now I have all kinds of questions, like, does this mean that we will just see Android XR demoed on the main stage? Will attendees get a chance to try them on? Will the press maybe get a closer, hands-on look? And critically, will Google allow anyone to film these potential interactions? Who knows! But honestly, after so much talk, I’m just thrilled at the prospect that Google might finally be ready to give us a more tangible look at their vision for Android XR glasses.

More XR breadcrumbs and Gemini integration

Beyond the sunglass tease, the “Gemini in everything” segment of the show also gave us another glimpse of how AI will power Android XR. They showcased an example of planning a vacation in an immersive environment, hinting at powerful new ways to interact with these extended reality devices. We also got another fleeting look at “Project Moohan,” the more traditional goggle-style headset that Samsung is building in partnership with Google.

These latest teases build on a steady stream of XR hints we’ve seen over the past year. Just last month, Google’s Android XR lead, Shahram Izadi, demoed some sleek smart glasses with a monocular HUD at TED2025 (though described as “conceptual hardware”). And late last year, we heard about Samsung, Qualcomm, and Google collaborating on a potential Ray-Ban Meta competitor infused with Google Gemini AI. We’ve also seen glimpses of Samsung’s goggle-style headset (Project Moohan) back in March.

With these two “lighthouse” devices – the Samsung headset and the sunglasses – both making appearances, however brief, my hopes are high for more substantial reveals next week at the main I/O event. I’m really hoping Google will properly showcase both form factors, and maybe, just maybe, we can finally get some firm details on the underlying hardware, unique software experiences, and pricing for these units.

So, while yesterday’s Android Show might have been more of an appetizer than a main course for XR, it definitely has me excited for what Google might serve up at Shoreline Amphitheatre next week.