Aura Glasses Drop $180 Before First Delivery

Google and Xreal reduced the cost of the Aura smart glasses to $1,099 on Tuesday, a $180 decrease from the $1,279 preorders charged last month. The new price applies to units available through the end of the year.

The headset weighs 95 grams and features a 70-degree diagonal field of view, which Xreal describes as among the widest for transparent displays. The device pairs clear lenses with a tethered Android XR compute puck that supports multiple virtual screens.

The pricing strategy appears aimed at countering Meta's VR Glasses, which entered the market at a similar price point. By lowering the cost, Google and Xreal position the Aura as a more competitive entry in the augmented reality space.

Purchasing has become more straightforward for consumers in the US, Canada, and South Korea. The base model, featuring 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, costs $1,099. A higher-tier version with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage is available for $1,299. Shipping begins in mid-November, while Japan receives the product on November 2.

Ralph Jodice, Xreal's general manager, stated that customers who paid the higher preorder price will receive an automatic and instant refund of the difference. This policy removes the need for buyers to seek reimbursement manually.

At launch, the glasses will support over 150 XR experiences, including films from Andy Serkis. Users can connect external devices via USB-C to mirror displays or query Google's Gemini AI about visual content. Google is also updating Photos to include a spatial gallery that allows users to pan through their library in 3D.