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Google’s Expanding AR and VR Landscape in 2025: From EarthQuest to Android XR
Jun
Google’s journey in augmenting reality, both through virtual and augmented realms, has evolved dramatically in 2025. At the forefront of this transformation lies EarthQuest (formerly Google Earth VR), a reimagined experience that now spans from our planet’s surface to the stars. Yet Google’s vision for AR and VR extends far beyond virtual tourism—spanning communication, education, and creativity through platforms like Android XR and Google Beam.
EarthQuest’s 2025 “Space Update” has added advanced atmospheric rendering and cosmic exploration. Users can now virtually glide through galaxies, orbit Mars, or observe constellations in real-time. The immersive platform lets learners and explorers alike experience landmarks such as the Grand Canyon, Mona Lisa, and the Great Wall—or explore new frontiers like Mars or the Andromeda galaxy. Comfort features, including customizable movement sensitivity and field-of-view constraints, enhance usability for all users, including those sensitive to motion or heights.
But EarthQuest isn’t just a sightseeing tool. With its new AI-powered guides and interactive wildlife overlays, it’s an immersive learning environment. Students can now meet creatures in simulated ecosystems, learn cultural history from VR docents, or overlay virtual animals into real-world classrooms using AR.
EarthQuest (Formerly Google Earth VR)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Game Modes | Single User |
| Supported Player Modes | Roomscale, Sitting, Standing |
| Tracking Modes | Front-facing, 360° |
| Supported Controllers | Quest 3 Touch+, Valve Index Controllers, HTC Vive Wands |
| Supported Platforms | Meta Quest 3, Valve Index, HTC Vive, Android XR |
| Genres | Educational, Exploration, Space, Nature |
| Languages | Multilingual (10+ languages) |
| Version | 2.1.0 (May 2025) |
| Developer | Google LLC |
| Website | https://vr.google.com/earth/ |
| Storage | 4.1 GB |
| Recommended Hardware | Meta Quest 3 / Android XR device, Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 |
Android XR is Google’s latest leap in mixed and extended reality. Launched in partnership with Samsung and Qualcomm, it supports a wide variety of immersive devices, including the highly anticipated Project Moohan XR headset. At its core is Gemini AI, Google’s most advanced assistant to date, now integrated for contextual learning, real-time camera translations, gesture commands, and multimodal search.
Meanwhile, Google Beam—evolved from Project Starline—is bringing next-gen telepresence to enterprises. Using AI-generated 3D video and volumetric rendering, it offers realistic, life-size video conferencing. Real-time translation, face detection, and low-latency streaming are key upgrades as Beam heads for a late 2025 enterprise rollout with partners like HP and Salesforce.
Google’s AR and VR evolution in 2025 is a leap beyond the visual—it’s about how we learn, connect, and perceive our place in the digital world. Whether exploring Mars, attending a holographic meeting, or designing 3D art, the future of extended reality is already here—and Google is helping shape it.
Chart data highlights for each of Google’s AR and VR creations in 2025:
| Feature | EarthQuest | Tilt Brush | Android XR | Google Cardboard | Google Beam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Immersive VR experience of Earth and space | 3D VR painting and creative platform | Unified XR OS with Gemini AI | Budget VR via smartphone | 3D holographic video conferencing |
| Highlights | Explore landmarks, deep sea, and planets | Multiplayer and AI brush tools | Supports various headsets, voice/gesture AI | Entry-level VR for education | Life-size, AI-enhanced conversations |
| Use Cases | Tourism, learning, astronomy | Art, design, therapy | Search, education, mixed reality | Intro to VR learning and games | Enterprise communication, training |
| Compatibility | Android XR, Quest 3, PC VR | All major VR platforms | Samsung XR, Meta, Lenovo | All major smartphones | Enterprise only (2025 launch) |
| Impact | Redefines global exploration in VR | Revolutionizes virtual art | Central hub for XR development | VR accessibility milestone | Future of remote communication |
