Google seems to be preparing the Play Store to support the Android XR platform it's working on.
If you're not familiar with it, the Play Store is Google's app store for Android phones, tablets, TVs, and smart watches, as well as supported Chromebooks.
By decompiling the Play Store app to look at the code inside, Android Authority discovered a new "XR headset" string which would appear on an app's listing to note compatibility, and associated headset icon for remotely installing it.
How the string and icon would look in the Play Store app on phones, according to Android Authority.
The finding suggests Google is getting closer to sharing more details about Android XR, the upcoming XR platform it plans to debut in a headset being built by Samsung.
Samsung first announced its headset all the way back in February 2023, and just four months ago gave an update saying it was coming this year. Last month, however, Daily Korea reported that Samsung has delayed the headset into 2025, and this seems more likely than a surprise November or December launch.
That new reported delay is far from the first. At Google I/O 2023 the company said it would "share more" about the partnership later in the year, but that never happened. A few months later South Korean outlet SBS Biz reported that Samsung initiated a full redesign right after the reveal of Vision Pro, which seemingly exceeded its expectations.
Android Authority's finding is the first public indication we've seen of any real progress in Google and Samsung's partnership, and could indicate we're finally getting close to an unveil. And while Samsung will be the first hardware maker to use Android XR, Google has reportedly been pitching it to other hardware makers too - though there have been no reports of other companies yet accepting.
