It took close to a year for the first Android XR device to come to market after it was announced back in 2024. And the interesting part is that it didn’t even come directly from Google. Instead, Samsung proudly announced the Galaxy XR headset, promising a new Android experience for consumers.

And while the initial response was pretty good, we don’t see many people going out and buying this $1,800 product. And that’s fine, because most tech enthusiasts know that this is just a stepping stone. And while it will take some time before you see this technology land at a price that everyone can afford, Google is now ready to share more news about the OS at a special Android XR event.

The first steps of many

Google posted a new video on its Android Developers YouTube channel, which promises to shed light on the operating system, its features, and potentially new hardware (9to5Google). While we doubt we’ll see new products announced, we should get a better feel of what to expect with upcoming and current hardware thanks to new updates.

This isn’t going to be a huge event like Google I/O, and will be much smaller and shorter, with 9to5Google sharing that it will only be a 30-minute presentation. You’ll be able to enjoy the event on December 8, and Google will even give you the option to set a reminder in Google Calendar and YouTube so you won’t miss it.

As stated before, Android XR is just starting out, so we don’t expect to hear anything groundbreaking at this upcoming event. And while it might not even be a necessary product and ecosystem to develop right now, Google couldn’t just let a rival like Apple dominate the space. Apple’s Vision Pro headset isn’t exactly flying off the shelves, despite all the hype it generated ahead of release.

However, Apple’s product is substantially more expensive, coming in with a starting price of $3,500. And while there were plans for a more affordable model, rumors suggest that the project has been canceled. While wearing a computer on your head might not catch on, there is promise with new smart glasses that are just starting to hit the market.

Not everyone will agree that these are the future, but there does seem to be more hope when compared to the headsets we’re seeing from Samsung and Apple. Maybe we’ll get to see something like this running Android XR at the December 8 event? We’ll just have to tune in to find out.