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

Published

4 months ago

May 24, 2026

Preport

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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Army arrests two soldiers over alleged ammunition racketeering

Published

2 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Preport

The Nigerian Army has apprehended two soldiers over alleged ammunition racketeering, while troops recovered an AK-47 rifle during separate operations in Zamfara and Kaduna.

An operational report made available to journalists on Thursday said the soldiers were arrested by troops of Operation Fansan Yamma after allegedly attempting to transfer 60 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition to a suspected civilian buyer.

According to the report, one of the soldiers allegedly handed the ammunition to the other in the presence of the suspected buyer.

The report said the suspects, attached to the headquarters of Operation Fansan Yamma and 223 Battalion, were arrested at about 7:50 p.m. on Wednesday.

It added that troops recovered four mobile phones, two empty magazines, an ATM card, a motorcycle, a cutlass, keys, recharge cards and other items from the suspects.

According to the report, the suspects and recovered items were handed over to the 1 Brigade Provost Company for further investigation.

“Meanwhile, troops of 1 Division operating along the Abuja-Kaduna highway engaged suspected terrorists after detecting their movement with a long-range camera.

“The troops engaged the terrorists in bushes across the Abuja-Kaduna railway line, forcing them to withdraw.

“During a follow-up operation, troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, a magazine loaded with 13 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and other items.

“The recovered items included a military jungle hat, magazine carrier, civilian clothing, prayer mat and other sundry items,” it said.

The report also revealed that troops of Operation Delta Safe raided a suspected illegal bunkering dump at Otom Community Waterside, Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

It said the troops recovered 40 drums containing about 12,000 litres of suspected illegally refined automotive gas oil, estimated at N14 million.

According to the report, troops also recovered a drum of engine oil and two tanks, which were handled in line with extant regulations.

In Plateau, the army said troops responded to an attack on commuters at Dindiyes village, Mangu Local Government Area, forcing the suspected attackers to withdraw.

It added that troops subsequently recovered the corpse of a civilian around the area, while efforts continued to apprehend the perpetrators.

(NAN)

News

WAFU – B U-17: Adegbuyi, Oparanmegwa Fire Flamingos Past Côte d’Ivoire

Published

2 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Preport

ChatGPT Image Sep 24 2026 09 10 56 PM 1024x615.png

Nigeria’s Flamingos maintained their perfect run at the 2026 WAFU-B U17 Girls Cup with a commanding 2–0 victory over hosts Côte d’Ivoire in Yamoussoukro on Thursday.

Oluwakemi Adegbuyi gave Nigeria the perfect start when she struck in the fourth minute, putting the Flamingos in front at the Lycée Scientifique.

The early goal allowed Nigeria to settle into the contest as the Flamingos protected their advantage through the remainder of the first half.

Côte d’Ivoire pushed for a response after the restart, but Nigeria remained disciplined and continued to threaten on the counter.

The Flamingos eventually doubled their advantage in the 83rd minute, with Pattra Oparanmegwa finding the back of the net to put Nigeria firmly in control.

The victory extends Nigeria’s perfect record in the competition, with the Flamingos now having won all four of their matches.

Nigeria had earlier opened their campaign with a 5–0 victory over Niger Republic before defeating Ghana 4–2 and overcoming Burkina Faso 2–0.

Against Burkina Faso, Mary Dunstan broke the deadlock in the 82nd minute before Adegbuyi struck in stoppage time to seal the win.

The victory over Côte d’Ivoire therefore represents another impressive display from the Flamingos, who have continued to combine attacking quality with defensive discipline throughout the tournament.

The hosts entered Thursday’s encounter as Nigeria’s closest challengers in the standings, having collected six points from their opening three matches. Côte d’Ivoire had also demonstrated their attacking threat with a 9–0 victory over Niger Republic before facing the Flamingos.

Nigeria, however, maintained their superiority in the decisive encounter, with Adegbuyi’s early strike and Oparanmegwa’s second-half finish securing another three points.

The result takes the Flamingos to 12 points from four matches, strengthening their position at the top of the WAFU-B U17 Girls Cup standings.

Nigeria will now turn their attention to their final fixture of the competition against Guinea, as coach Hakeem Busari’s side look to complete the tournament with another victory.

The WAFU-B competition is also serving as valuable preparation for Nigeria ahead of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, where the Flamingos will compete against North Korea, Puerto Rico and Poland in Group B.