I tried Google’s XR headset, and it already beats the Apple Vision Pro in 3 ways

Putting on Project Moohan, an upcoming XR headset developed by Google, Samsung, and Qualcomm, for the first time felt strangely familiar. From twisting the head-strap knob on the back to slipping the standalone battery pack into my pants pocket, my mind was transported back to February 2024, when I tried on the Apple Vision Pro on launch day.

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Only this time, the headset was powered by Android XR, Google’s newest operating system built around Gemini, the same AI model that dominated the Google I/O headlines this week. The difference in software was immediately noticeable — from the home grid of Google apps like Photos, Maps, and YouTube (which VisionOS still lacks) to prompting for Gemini instead of Siri with a long press of the headset’s multifunctional key.

Designed to compete with Vision Pro

While my demo with Project Moohan lasted only about 10 minutes, it gave me a clear understanding of how it’s challenging Apple’s Vision Pro and how Google, Samsung, and Qualcomm plan to convince the masses that the future of spatial computing does, in fact, live in a bulkier space-helmet-like device.

For starters, there’s no denying that the industrial designers of Project Moohan drew some inspiration from the Apple Vision Pro. I mentioned a few of the hardware similarities already, but the general aesthetic and hand feel of the XR headset would easily pass as one made in Cupertino — only it’s much better than the Vision Pro.

Google wouldn’t share the exact materials used to shape the headset, but a few taps, brushes, and squeezes around the perimeter suggested to me that Project Moohan is made mostly of plastic and hard metals. That’s a good thing, as the headset felt much lighter in my hand and around my head than I remembered the Vision Pro feeling. And if I can get a headset with better weight distribution and a potentially cheaper price tag, I won’t complain.

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Project Moohan comes tethered to a portable power pack, which the Google reps told me should keep the system running for two to three hours, depending on usage. I don’t have any strong feelings toward the accessory, but its presence suggests to me that the headset will be best used when you’re sitting down or standing still — like I was during the demo. For more outdoorsy activities, you should probably stick with Google’s XR glasses instead.

Very intuitive experience

Using Android XR for the first time felt very intuitive. Navigation gestures like pinches, dragging, and taps reminded me of how I’d use Vision Pro or Meta Quest 3, which was great to see. For most of the demonstrations, which included sightseeing in a 3D expanded view of Google Maps, watching immersive YouTube videos, and talking to Gemini, I quickly picked up how to work the software.

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Save for a few times when I accidentally clicked out of a floating window or minimized a video player, using Android XR felt like using a more dynamic version of Android on my phone. It’s like multitasking with split-screen mode and floating apps, but with an infinitely sized display.

Notably, you can tell Gemini to clean up your screen layout whenever there are too many things everywhere all at once. Such conversational interactions with the AI assistant are Project Moohan’s (and other future Android XR devices’) biggest advantage compared to the Vision Pro. The ability to call on a reliable and versatile AI assistant to help you navigate and manage the software is especially crucial when you don’t want to use your eyes and hands to control the headset.

I found the passthrough on Project Moohan to be just OK. The renderings appeared slightly blurry and in a cooler (bluish) tone, though not warped significantly. Perhaps it’s because I tested the headset with prescription inserts made just minutes before, but I definitely wouldn’t call the passthrough a seamless blend of digital and real world.

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It helps that you can use the XR headset without the light blockers (usually magnetically attached to the bottom half of the visor), so there was always a sense of depth and proximity as I experienced the immersion.

Pricing and release date

The biggest question mark with Project Moohan is pricing. Sure, Samsung will likely undercut Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro, but by how much? What will repairs and insurance look like? And exactly how many apps will be optimized for Android XR, a platform that’s only months old, when the headset launches? We’ll get a clearer picture later this year, but for now, I’m staying hopeful based on the product I’ve seen so far.

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