The short answer
Android XR is Google's operating system for headsets and smart glasses, and Samsung Galaxy XR, launched in October 2025, is the first device running it. You can build for it with Google's Jetpack XR SDK, with Unity, Unreal or Godot through the OpenXR standard, or on the web with WebXR. If you already have a Meta Quest game or app in Unity, most of it carries over: the work is input, performance tuning and store submission, not a rewrite.
Why it matters now
For years, standalone VR effectively meant one store. Android XR adds a second major platform backed by Google and Samsung, with the Google Play Store, Android's huge developer base and Gemini built in. Galaxy XR runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 and supports hand and eye tracking. Google has also shown Android XR smart glasses with eyewear partners, so skills built for the headset are likely to carry over to lighter devices. For brands and studios, that means a second audience for the same XR investment.
The four ways to build
| Path | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jetpack XR SDK | Android app teams adding spatial features | Compose for XR for spatial UI, SceneCore for 3D, ARCore for Jetpack XR for world understanding |
| Unity | Games, training sims, ports from Quest | Unity 6 support via the Unity OpenXR: Android XR package and Android XR Extensions for Unity |
| Unreal, Godot or native OpenXR | Teams already on those engines | Android XR implements OpenXR with vendor extensions |
| WebXR | Marketing experiences and quick demos | Runs in the browser, no store submission |
Ordinary Android apps from Google Play can also run on Galaxy XR as floating 2D panels without changes. That is a useful baseline, but it is not an XR experience.
Porting a Meta Quest project with Unity
Because both platforms support OpenXR, a Unity project built on the XR Interaction Toolkit and OpenXR ports cleanly. Projects built heavily on Meta's own SDK features need more work. Google's launch materials quote partners bringing existing titles over in about a week, which is realistic for well-structured projects and optimistic for older ones. The checklist:
- Unity version and packages. Use a current Unity 6 release with the Unity OpenXR: Android XR package. Google recommends URP and the Vulkan graphics API.
- Replace platform-specific code. Swap Meta-only features such as their avatars, platform services and passthrough APIs for OpenXR or Android XR equivalents, behind an abstraction so one codebase serves both stores.
- Input. Galaxy XR is built around hand and eye tracking, with controllers optional. Every interaction must work without a controller.
- Performance. Profile on the device. Display resolution and refresh targets differ from Quest, so frame budgets and render scale need retuning.
- Store and policy. Publish through Google Play with XR-specific listing assets, comfort information and age rating.
Testing without a headset
Android Studio includes an Android XR Emulator for checking layouts, spatial UI and basic flows. It is good for daily development but no substitute for a device: comfort, frame pacing, hand-tracking reliability and text legibility must be tested on real hardware with real people.
What to build first
- Ports of existing Quest content, the fastest way to reach a new audience.
- Spatial productivity and training, where hand tracking and Android integration shine. Our guide to VR training ROI covers the business case.
- Mixed reality experiences that blend virtual objects into the room, the same design patterns covered in our Quest 3 mixed reality guide.
- Branded showcases for launches, events and retail.
Costs
A focused single-scene VR experience starts at $999 and a full VR application at $2,999 on our current VR and AR packages, with larger games and training platforms quoted individually. A port of an existing, well-structured Unity Quest project is usually much cheaper than a new build. Typical market ranges for bigger immersive projects are in our VR development cost guide.
Sources: Android Developers Blog: apps on Galaxy XR · Android: develop with Unity for Android XR · Android XR developer site. Checked October 12, 2026.
Related: VR game development · VR and AR packages · Smart glasses development
Quick answers ❓
What is Android XR?
Android XR is Google's operating system for extended reality headsets and smart glasses. Samsung Galaxy XR, launched in October 2025, was the first device to run it.
Can I build Android XR apps with Unity?
Yes. Unity 6 supports Android XR through the Unity OpenXR: Android XR package, with the Android XR Extensions for Unity adding features such as object, face and marker tracking and scene meshing. Google recommends URP and Vulkan.
How hard is it to port a Meta Quest game to Android XR?
If the game is built in Unity on OpenXR and the XR Interaction Toolkit, the port is mostly input, performance and store work. Games that rely heavily on Meta-specific SDK features take longer, because those parts must be replaced with OpenXR or Android XR equivalents.
Do Android XR apps need controllers?
No. Galaxy XR is designed around hand and eye tracking, with controllers optional, so every interaction in your app should work without a controller.
Can I test Android XR apps without a headset?
Partly. Android Studio includes an Android XR Emulator for layouts and basic flows, but comfort, frame pacing and hand-tracking reliability need testing on a real device.
Related guides
Mixed reality apps for Meta Quest 3 → VR development cost guide →Bring your XR app to Android XR 🥽
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