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Xreal, Google’s smartglasses partner, thinks it has finally mastered this notoriously tricky industry

Published

6 months ago

May 24, 2026

The smart glasses industry has long been a tortured dream of Silicon Valley. The premise is appealing enough: What if, to enjoy the benefits of mobile computing, people didn’t have to stare at their phones all day long and could, instead, simply wear a lightweight computing device on their face? Science fiction fans (a demographic that is strong in the tech industry) can see this vision perfectly.

However, the industry has — for much of the last decade — resembled a financial black hole into which gargantuan investments have been sunk and from which little to no profit has ever emerged.

“Everybody’s losing money,” said Chi Xu, the founder and CEO of the smart glasses company Xreal, which is a longtime partner of Google. I met Xu at Google’s I/O conference in Mountain View last week, where he was promoting Xreal’s Project Aura. That’s its latest effort to create a set of functional XR glasses that people actually want to use.

“That’s because it’s very hard, what we’re doing,” he said.

For much of the industry’s existence, the problems of smart glasses have seemed somewhat obvious: bulky, uncomfortable, and socially awkward form factor, paired with negligibly beneficial software. Now, however, industry insiders — including Xu — feel like their business has turned a corner and may be reaching an inflection point.

That supposed inflection point has something to do with Meta, whose 2023 partnership with Ray-Ban launched one of the first lines of models that has actually managed to sell a lot of units. (It’s worth noting, however, that the division responsible for the glasses, Reality Labs, still operates at a massive loss.)

Now, as form factors shrink and software improves, Xu feels that Xreal can finally become a leader in the space. “You need all the key pieces ready — you need the hardware ready, the operating system needs to be ready, and then you need a great user interface,” Xu said.

Xreal’s newest model Aura is wired smart glasses that have OLED displays embedded within them, meaning that you can watch high-resolution videos within the frames themselves. Somewhat awkwardly, Aura comes tethered to a “puck” — essentially a phone-shaped mini-computer that powers the experience behind the glasses. When using it, you can ostensibly just slip it into your pocket.

But in exchange for the awkwardness of the puck, the user gets a wider variety of fun experiences with the glasses, including an immersive Google Maps app, VR YouTube videos, and a “painting app” that lets you — via the powers of hand tracking — create holographic imagery that only you can see. There are also reportedly games, playable (again) via hand tracking, and basic web surfing functionality.

“Whether you are following a floating recipe while cooking, setting up a private workspace at a coffee shop or on a flight, or watching a movie on a virtual big screen at home, the experience is seamless,” the company promises.

Xu also says that he imagines the device being used not just by the casual consumer but by professionals as well. “It’s not just about watching the NBA game in a hologram type of format, you could also go to a coffee shop and do some work,” he said.

Currently, the glasses are only available for developers, but the plan is for them to launch commercially later this year. Xreal is also working on an IPO that is expected to take place before 2026 is over, although Xu declined to say much about it.

In the meantime, the company is working on that whole turning-a-profit thing. Xu notes that his company has been raising its gross margin while lowering its costs for marketing and sales. “Next year is the year when we could actually break even,” he says.

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Related Topics:finally Googles Industry mastered notoriously partner smartglasses thinks tricky Xreal

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NJC recommends new judges across five states, two appellate courts

Published

2 hours ago

November 6, 2026

PlateauReports

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended 28 candidates for appointment as judicial officers across five states and two appellate courts.

The recommendations were made at the council’s 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by NJC’s deputy director (Information), Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe.

Of the 28 candidates, 24 were recommended for appointment as judges of the High Courts of Kano, Ebonyi, Edo, Adamawa and Ogun states.

One candidate was recommended for appointment as Grand Kadi of the Plateau State Sharia Court of Appeal, while another was recommended as Kadi of the Adamawa State Sharia Court of Appeal.

Two other candidates were recommended for appointment as judges of the Adamawa State Customary Court of Appeal.

The council also included Ijeoma Agugua in the shortlist of candidates for appointment as substantive chief judge of Imo State.

The candidates recommended for the various courts include Tijjani Zololo for appointment as Grand Kadi of the Plateau State Sharia Court of Appeal.

For the Kano State High Court, the recommended candidates are Hassan Nafisan, Ahmad Halima, Bature Abdullahi and Umar Musa.

Amaga Dickson was recommended for appointment as a judge of the Ebonyi State High Court.

The candidates recommended for the Edo State High Court are Osawaru Benson, Omoruyi Taiye, Adamaigbo Dorathy, Usiobaifo Festus, Oiwoh Pius, Amune Majebi and Imuekemhe Emile.

Those recommended for the Adamawa State High Court are Sa’ad Aminu, Musa Ibrahim, Giwa Sadiq, Mijinyawa Musa, Ibrahim Japhet, Bakari Aliyu and Ahmadu Yakubu.

For the Ogun State High Court, the recommended candidates are Oke Olakulehin, Obienu Adebimpe, Daudu Fatimat, Kadiri Rafiat and Osho Oludotun.

Ishaku Abubakar was recommended for appointment as Kadi of the Adamawa State Sharia Court of Appeal, while Dimas Elsha and Pembi David were recommended as judges of the Adamawa State Customary Court of Appeal.

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Nigeria Get Second Chance as CAF Reportedly Considers Flying Eagles for 2027 U-20 AFCON

Published

3 hours ago

November 6, 2026

PlateauReports

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles could be handed a lifeline in their quest to qualify for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup following reports that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is considering including the team in the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.

The development follows Ghana’s reported removal as hosts of the continental competition, potentially creating an opening for Nigeria to secure a place in the tournament.

Sports247 reports that CAF has informed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to keep the Flying Eagles on standby for a possible invitation to the 2027 U-20 AFCON.

Nigeria initially missed out on automatic qualification after suffering a disappointing 4-1 defeat to Burkina Faso in the final of the 2026 WAFU Zone B U-20 Championship.

Burkina Faso secured the region’s automatic qualification ticket, while Ghana were expected to occupy the second available place as hosts of the continental tournament.

However, Ghana’s reported failure to meet CAF’s hosting requirements has thrown the arrangement into uncertainty, with the continental governing body expected to appoint a new host.

The situation could work in Nigeria’s favour, with the Flying Eagles potentially considered for the place initially reserved for Ghana as tournament hosts, having finished runners-up in the WAFU Zone B competition.

Although CAF is yet to make an official announcement confirming Nigeria’s inclusion, the reported development has raised hopes of a second opportunity for the seven-time African champions.

The 2027 U-20 AFCON will carry additional significance as it will also serve as Africa’s qualifying competition for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

According to CAF’s qualification format, the four semi-finalists will represent the continent at the global tournament.

Nigeria’s possible inclusion would therefore provide the Flying Eagles with another opportunity to compete for continental honours and keep their World Cup ambitions alive.

The West African giants have a proud history at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, having finished runners-up on two occasions, in 1989 and 2005.

For now, Nigeria will await CAF’s final decision, with the reported development offering renewed hope after their disappointment in the WAFU Zone B final.