Katarzyna Petru
After years of silence, Magic Leap is once again trying to establish itself in the augmented reality market. The company presented a prototype of smart Android XR glasses, created as part of expanded collaboration with Google. As highlighted, the project is meant to serve as a “reference design” for the entire Android XR ecosystem, that is, a model on which other manufacturers can base their own designs.
What do we know about the new prototype?
The new Magic Leap glasses resemble other contemporary AR models — with thicker frames hiding the electronics and a camera on the left side. The detailed specifications have not yet been revealed, but the company confirmed that it combined waveguides and optics from Magic Leap with the microLED light engine Raxium from Google. This setup aims to provide better brightness, energy efficiency, and reduced weight, bringing us closer to the goal that the industry has been working on for years — AR glasses that can be worn all day without discomfort.
Android XR — the new foundation of augmented reality
The prototype runs on Android XR, Google's new operating system dedicated to mixed and augmented reality. It's the same system that powers the Samsung Galaxy XR, which was presented just a week ago. Google is clearly striving to create a coherent XR ecosystem that will connect glasses, goggles, and other devices into one platform — much like Android has dominated the smartphone world.
From Collapse to Rebuilding
Magic Leap has a turbulent history. The first model of the company sold disastrously — only 6,000 units in six months, which practically ended the brand's consumer ambitions. After this failure, the company shifted to the business market, launching Magic Leap 2 in 2022.
In the same year, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia became the majority shareholder of Magic Leap and invested over a billion dollars in the company's development. Since then, Magic Leap has focused on licensing its technology and collaborating with partners, rather than independently creating hardware. In 2024, the company underwent another restructuring — laid off 75 employees and concentrated on technological collaboration with other giants.
Google + Magic Leap = new beginning
The collaboration with Google really took off in 2024 when both companies announced a joint project for enhancing the potential of XR technology. According to reports, Google hired about 100 Magic Leap specialists, who are currently working on the development of Android XR. The new glasses are the first tangible result of this collaboration — and probably a sign of a larger plan in which Magic Leap will become a key partner for Google in the AR segment.
What’s next for Magic Leap?
It is still unclear whether Magic Leap plans to return to the consumer market or will focus on providing technology for other manufacturers. But one thing is certain — Android XR is becoming a real ecosystem, and the competition with Apple VisionOS and Meta Horizon OS is just heating up. If these prototypes actually reach developers, 2026 could be a turning point for AR in the Google version.
After years of failures, Magic Leap is returning with a project that could change its image — not as a hardware manufacturer, but as a provider of technology for a new generation of XR devices. Combined with Android XR and support from Google, the company has a chance to become one of the pillars of the upcoming era of augmented reality.
