Highlights:
- The glasses incorporate a set of new cameras in the frame, enabling real-time tracking of the user’s environment, head position, and hand movements.
- The new AR glasses showcase a stylish titanium ring frame with a design reminiscent of “wayfarer-esque” aesthetics, weighing approximately 80 grams.
The Xreal Air 2 Ultra augmented reality glasses launch by Xreal Inc., formerly Nreal, was announced in preparation for CES 2024. These glasses incorporate new 3D sensors and computer vision functionalities, allowing for the seamless integration of virtual objects into the surrounding environment.
The latest wearable AR glasses boast a sleek titanium ring frame, sporting a design reminiscent of “wayfarer-esque” aesthetics and weighing approximately 80 grams. Despite being somewhat bulkier than standard eyewear, these glasses excel at delivering augmented reality content. This capability involves blending holographic digital elements seamlessly with the wearer’s surroundings by overlaying them with their natural vision through the glasses.
Founder and Chief Executive of Xreal, Chi Xu, said, “With Xreal Air 2 Ultra, we’re empowering developers around the world by providing an affordable and lightweight solution that allows them to jump into the exciting world of spatial computing and create the next generation of mixed reality experiences.”
The device offers a horizontal field of view of 52 degrees and a display that supports 90Hz in 3D and 120Hz in 2D (for screen reproduction), featuring a high-definition resolution of 1080p for each eye. When engaging with content, this experience is perceptually comparable to viewing games and movies on a 154-inch screen from a distance of 13 feet away.
Two new cameras have been incorporated into the glasses’ frame to enable real-time tracking of the user’s hands, head, and surroundings. According to the company, this enhancement will allow the glasses to deliver more sophisticated AR content that is seamlessly integrated with the surroundings. Examples include rotatable 3D objects that can be positioned on tangible surfaces like a dining room table or appear to hover in the air around the user.
As part of the announcement, Xu made a critical comment about mixed reality headsets, including the upcoming USD 3,500 Vision Pro from Apple Inc. and the USD 499 Meta Quest 3 from Meta Platform Inc. Xu said, “Unlike competing brands in this emerging space, we believe in making advanced wearable six-degrees-of-freedom glasses something you can wear all day long and that is accessible to all players in the [extended reality] development ecosystem.”
Mixed reality is a technology genre employing enclosed goggles and cameras to pass a user’s view through, seamlessly merging digital content with the physical environment, unlike augmented reality. Consequently, mixed reality headsets tend to be more substantial and weighty than augmented reality glasses. The latter employs clear lenses housing screens to enhance the user’s vision, making them potentially more comfortable for long-time wear.
The device incorporates audio technology that enhances sound dispersion, delivering cinematic audio to the user with reduced sound leakage and improved privacy, as stated by the company. This feature ensures a more private experience, preventing nearby individuals from overhearing the user’s audio while engaging in activities such as watching movies or playing video games on the device.
For the Xreal Air 2 Ultra to function, it requires a connection to another device, like a laptop or a phone. However, it boasts extensive compatibility, being able to link with various devices, including Mac and Windows laptops, Samsung Android phones, and the iPhone 15.
