It looks like Google is bringing the Play Store to VR, and I hope it doesn't just come to Samsung's XR headset

Android is gearing up for an XR headset motorboat – astatine least, that's according to leaked Play Store codification which suggests that VR, AR, and MR tech for illustration headsets and glasses will beryllium capable to download (or successful immoderate cases not download) Play Store apps directly.

Android Authority discovered 2 XR references hidden successful nan codification for nan existent type (43.3.32-31) of nan Google Play Store app. The first is an icon that would look adjacent to a instrumentality sanction erstwhile nan personification is choosing wherever to instal an app; alternatively than being nan phone, Chromebook aliases tablet icons we’re utilized to, this icon looks for illustration a brace of goggles – that is, alternatively for illustration a VR headset.

The 2nd hint is much explicit, successful nan style of a informing explanation alerting nan personification that 'This XR Headset isn’t compatible pinch this app'. This suggests that developers whitethorn request to adhd an update to bring their package to Android XR devices.

So is an XR type of Android and nan Play Store coming? Probably.

Not surprising, but erstwhile will it motorboat

We cognize that Google and Samsung are partnering connected immoderate XR stuff, and while nan specifics are up successful nan aerial it's been assumed Samsung was providing nan hardware (a Samsung XR headset) and Google nan package (some type of Android), on nan lines of their Samsung Galaxy telephone collaboration.

What’s more, a Samsung AR glasses patent we highlighted precocious showed that nan planned instrumentality runs connected Android. Leaks, patents, and speculation aren’t arsenic reliable arsenic charismatic info – truthful return these specifications pinch a pinch of brackish – but arsenic nan saying goes, wherever there’s fume there’s fire.

Google and Samsung had antecedently teased that we’d find retired astir their XR efforts sometime earlier nan extremity of 2024; nevertheless pinch reports that nan Samsung hardware is delayed that committedness mightiness not beryllium kept.

That said, location is already (kind of) an Android VR headset retired there; successful truth location are a few. The Meta Quest 3, Quest 3S and different HorizonOS devices tally connected an operating system that was derived from Android. While HorizonOS will apt stay its ain entity, if Google wants to musculus successful moreover without its ain hardware it could motorboat an XR Play Store that’s downloadable connected Quest.

The Quest hardware does already play bully pinch third-party launches for illustration SideQuest, and fixed nan number of ineligible disputes astir platforms being excessively closed disconnected – specified arsenic Apple walling disconnected its devices by only allowing installs via its App Store (which has been described arsenic monopolistic) – Meta whitethorn want to get up of akin accusations by allowing nan Play Store onto its tech.

That is admittedly thing of a tube dream, but we’ll person to hold and spot what Samsung and Google denote successful nan coming months. If Google is fresh to spell but Samsung isn't, possibly nan XR Play Store will motorboat elsewhere first.

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