Wearable technology has evolved significantly since the first generation of Google Glass. While many enterprise solutions still rely on legacy Glass applications, Google's Android XR platform introduces new opportunities for building immersive experiences across smart glasses, headsets, and future XR devices.
If you maintain an existing Google Glass app, migrating to Android XR can improve compatibility, performance, and access to modern Android development tools.
In this guide, you'll learn the key steps, challenges, and best practices for migrating legacy Google Glass applications to Android XR.
Why Migrate?
Modern Android XR offers several advantages over older Google Glass platforms:
- 🚀 Improved performance and hardware support
- 🥽 Support for next-generation XR devices
- 🎨 Modern UI with Jetpack Compose
- 🔒 Enhanced security and privacy
- 📦 Better integration with current Android APIs
- ⚡ Long-term platform support
Migrating now helps future-proof your application while reducing technical debt.
Step 1: Assess Your Existing Application
Before writing any code, review your project to identify outdated components.
Check for:
- Deprecated Android APIs
- Legacy Glass-specific libraries
- Old Gradle configurations
- Java-only implementations
- Unsupported permissions
- Device-specific assumptions
Document these dependencies to create a migration roadmap.
Step 2: Update Your Development Environment
Upgrade your project to use the latest Android development tools:
- Latest Android Studio
- Current Android SDK
- Latest Gradle Plugin
- Kotlin
- Jetpack libraries
Keeping your toolchain current simplifies migration and ensures compatibility with Android XR.
Step 3: Replace Deprecated APIs
Many APIs used in early Google Glass applications have been replaced or modernized.
Examples include:
- Camera APIs → CameraX
- Legacy UI layouts → Jetpack Compose
- Deprecated storage APIs → Scoped Storage
- Older permission handling → Runtime Permissions
Migrating to modern APIs improves reliability and makes future maintenance easier.
Step 4: Redesign the User Interface
Google Glass applications often relied on cards, touch gestures, and simple layouts.
For Android XR:
- Use responsive layouts.
- Support different display sizes.
- Increase readability.
- Minimize interface clutter.
- Design for hands-free interactions where appropriate.
Jetpack Compose makes it easier to build adaptive interfaces for multiple XR form factors.
Step 5: Modernize Input Methods
Legacy Glass apps frequently depended on:
- Touchpad gestures
- Basic voice commands
Android XR devices may support richer interaction models, including:
- Voice input
- Hand tracking
- Eye tracking (device dependent)
- Motion controllers
- Gesture recognition
Design your application to support multiple input methods instead of relying on a single interaction model.
Step 6: Update Camera and Sensor Access
Many enterprise applications use:
- Camera
- GPS
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope
- Microphone
Replace legacy implementations with modern Android APIs such as CameraX and the Jetpack sensor libraries where appropriate. This improves compatibility across current and future Android-powered XR devices.
Step 7: Improve Performance
XR applications demand smooth rendering and efficient resource usage.
Optimize your app by:
- Reducing unnecessary background tasks
- Compressing images before processing
- Loading data asynchronously with Kotlin Coroutines
- Minimizing memory allocations
- Profiling CPU and GPU usage
A responsive application provides a better experience and helps extend battery life.
Step 8: Test Across Devices
Android XR is designed for a growing ecosystem of devices.
During testing, verify:
- UI scaling
- Camera functionality
- Sensor accuracy
- Voice interactions
- Performance under different workloads
- Battery consumption
Testing on multiple supported devices helps identify compatibility issues early.
Common Migration Challenges
Developers often encounter:
- Removed APIs
- UI redesign requirements
- Different screen resolutions
- Updated permission models
- Dependency conflicts
- Hardware feature differences
Addressing these incrementally makes the migration process more manageable.
Best Practices
- Migrate gradually instead of rewriting everything.
- Separate business logic from UI.
- Use Jetpack Compose for new screens.
- Adopt Kotlin for new development.
- Replace deprecated libraries early.
- Profile performance regularly.
- Keep dependencies up to date.
Conclusion
Migrating a legacy Google Glass application to Android XR is more than a version upgrade—it's an opportunity to modernize your architecture, improve performance, and prepare for the future of wearable computing.
By updating your development tools, replacing deprecated APIs, redesigning your interface, and embracing modern Android technologies like Kotlin, CameraX, and Jetpack Compose, you can create applications that are ready for the next generation of XR devices while preserving the core functionality your users rely on.
As Android XR continues to evolve, investing in a modern, maintainable codebase today will make it easier to support new devices and features in the years ahead.
SDK Flutter: https://github.com/v-modal/vmodal_sdk_flutter
SDK Android: https://github.com/v-modal/vmodal_sdk_android
Discord: https://discord.gg/K72z28KUx
Tags
android androidxr kotlin wearables googleglass mobiledevelopment
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