Google and Xreal lower Aura glasses price to $1,099

The new Google Xreal Aura headset costs $1,099, a figure that stands out because the price is lower than what consumers paid to reserve the device last month. Xreal and Google announced the price cut on Tuesday, setting the launch cost at $180 less than the previous $1,279 tag.

The discount applies to purchases made through the end of the year. Buyers in the United States, Canada, and South Korea can order the standard model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for the new lower price. A higher specification model with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage is available for $1,299, which is also below its previous projected cost. Units are expected to begin shipping in mid-November.

The price reduction places the Aura directly under the price of Meta’s VR Glasses. Xreal General Manager Ralph Jodice stated that customers who preordered at the higher rate will receive an automatic and immediate refund for the difference. This move removes the financial penalty for early adopters who locked in the initial $1,279 price tag.

The device weighs 95 grams and features a tethered Android XR compute puck. It supports multiple virtual screens and offers a 70-degree diagonal field of view. While this is one of the widest angles for transparent glasses, the form factor requires users to trade off certain visual aspects for the see-through display. The launch coincides with the removal of previous reservation requirements and limited edition tiers for consumers in launch countries.

The glasses launch with more than 150 compatible experiences. These include new immersive films such as Andy Serkis’ “Nevatars” and “Galapagos: the Last Eden.” Users can connect a computer or handheld game console to the USB-C compute puck to mirror content to the glasses. The system also allows users to ask Google’s Gemini AI questions about what they are viewing through the display.

Google announced that Google Photos will receive a spatial gallery update this year. This feature allows users to pan through their photo library in 3D, moving from an entire year down to a single day using hand gestures. Xreal is also partnering with GameSir to release a wireless gamepad with a dedicated Gemini key and a folding portable wireless keyboard, though pricing and release dates for those accessories have not been set.

Availability in Japan begins on November 2. Broader availability in other regions is planned for next year. The immediate price drop aims to make the product more competitive in a market where hardware costs have risen.