Weve already seen companies try for a laptop alternative using AR glasses as a screen with theSpacetop G1.
So why dont we have a phone made explicitly for AR?
Well,AR glasses maker XRealhas decided to unleash something phone-like.
Believe it or not, this is the type of person we imagine walking around with a pair of AR glasses and a not-phone device for AR streaming.Image: XReal
It will run your usual slate of Android apps.
It will even take photos and video with twoI repeat: two50 MP cameras.
But its not a phone, even if it looks like one.
Image: XReal
This new design has a screen, specifically a 2K, 6.5-inch LCD touch display.
The China-based company noted, The average user will instantly recognize the smartphone-like form factor.
So dont feel bad if every time you glance at the images, you immediately think phone.
Its more of an ultra-small tablet than anything.
The Beam Pro runs Android 14, and its home screen has an unmistakable Android look.
XReals NebulaOS runs on top of Android to facilitate AR capabilities.
Augemented reality glasses are still in their awkward teen years.
Theyre still finding themselves trading one outfit for another and throwing shit at the wall until something sticks.
The phone is supposed to support streaming specifically.
Otherwise, its packing just 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of memory at its base price.
For $250, youll get 8 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage.
It supports WiFi 6, and certain future models will also support 5G.
The two cameras mainly take spatial video, popularized by Apples $3,500 headset andiPhone 15.
They support recording at 1080p and 60 FPS.
The iPhone 15 Pro records its spatial video at the exact resolution but 30 FPS in SDR.
Of course, thats ignoring all of Apples photo algorithms that help record quality images.
Wed have to take it for a spin to see if the spatial recordings on Beam Pro are comparable.
Unfortunately, the train hasnt made that much progress outside the station.
XReals AR glasses still demand a wired connection, which hampers their true portability.
At that price, it still costs too much to be on the bleeding edge of AR.
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