Google’s Xreal Aura Android XR Headset Debuts for $1,099 in November
WHO:
The Verge - Xreal GM and spokesperson Ralph Jodice said customers who preordered at the original price will automatically receive a refund for the difference.
CNET - Google and Xreal are associated with the Aura mixed-reality headset.
TechCrunch - Xreal is the maker of the Aura headset.
Lifehacker - Xreal’s Aura is described as the company’s first wired XR glasses.
WHAT:
The Verge - Aura weighs 95 grams, has a 70-degree diagonal field of view, and includes a tethered Android XR compute puck.
The Verge - The $1,099 price applies through the end of the year; the 12GB RAM/256GB storage model is available for $1,099, while the 16GB RAM/512GB model is discounted to $1,299.
The Verge - The headset will launch with over 150 “made-for-XR experiences,” including immersive films “Nevatars” and “Galapagos: the Last Eden.”
The Verge - Users can connect a computer or handheld game console to the USB-C compute puck to mirror it in the glasses, and ask Google’s Gemini AI about what they see.
The Verge - Google Photos is getting a spatial gallery that wraps a user’s photo library around them and lets them navigate it with their hands and open memories in 3D.
The Verge - Xreal and GameSir are partnering on a wireless gamepad with a dedicated Gemini key, charging dock, and swappable D-pads; Xreal also announced a folding portable wireless keyboard.
CNET - Xreal Aura is a mixed-reality headset described as “a bit like VR, a bit like smart glasses, a bit like a tiny face computer.”
TechCrunch - Xreal Aura is a wired headset powered by Android XR.
CNET - The headset is priced at $1,099 to start.
TechCrunch - The headset will start at $1,279 and include multiple XR-specific launch apps.
Lifehacker - The glasses offer virtual and augmented reality in a sunglasses-style form factor rather than a helmet.
WHERE:
The Verge - The 12GB/256GB model is available in the United States, Canada, and South Korea.
WHEN:
The Verge - The 16GB/512GB model’s discounted price is available through the end of the year.
The Verge - The 12GB/256GB model’s units are expected to begin shipping in mid-November.
The Verge - The headset will go on sale November 2nd in Japan, with broader availability next year.
CNET - CNET reports the headset is coming in November, with a mid-November launch.
CNET - CNET’s headline specifies the starting price as $1,099.
HOW:
TechCrunch - Aura connects as a wired headset and runs on Android XR.
Lifehacker - The product provides virtual and augmented reality through a pair of sunglasses rather than a helmet.
(UPDATED October 28, 2026 22:01 UTC)
Xreal’s Aura is a wired mixed-reality headset powered by Android XR, and the 12GB, 256GB model is priced at $1,099, with customers who preordered at the original price automatically getting a refund for the difference. Weighing 95 grams, it connects through a tethered compute puck and launches with more than 150 XR experiences, while letting users mirror a computer or game console and ask Google’s Gemini AI about what they see. The model is expected to begin shipping in mid-November in the United States, Canada, and South Korea, while Aura goes on sale November 2nd in Japan and is planned for broader availability next year.
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(UPDATED October 28, 2026 19:03 UTC)
Google and Xreal have introduced Aura, Xreal’s first wired mixed-reality glasses, which bring virtual and augmented reality in a sunglasses-style design rather than a bulky helmet. The headset runs on Android XR and is described as a blend of VR, smart glasses and a compact face computer. Its reported starting price varies between $1,099 and $1,279, and it’s expected to launch in mid-November with several XR-focused apps.