Smart glasses running Android XR might soon become your personal walking guide. A future update to Google Maps suggests immersive, camera-enhanced navigation paired with Gemini AI, offering street-smart directions and visual context without needing to pull out your phone.
Imagine walking through an unfamiliar city, unsure of which way to turn, until your smart glasses quietly guide you in the right direction, like a personal tour guide who never gets tired. That’s the future Google may be crafting with its integration of Google Maps and the emerging Android XR platform.
A smarter kind of walk
Google has started laying the groundwork for what looks like a more immersive navigation experience, especially for people using smart glasses powered by Android XR. Buried in recent app updates are references to Enhanced Navigation, designed specifically for wearable tech. These early signs suggest users may be able to see real-time directions layered over the real world, similar to how Live View works on phones, except now it’s hands free and always in sight.
This update isn’t just about directions. It could offer smart corrections if you’re going the wrong way and even recognize landmarks through the glasses’ camera, helping you get back on track with suggestions such as “Turn slightly left toward Main Street” or “You’re heading the wrong way. Turn around.”
Meet Gemini, your context-aware assistant
Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, is also expected to play a major role. If you’re feeling lost, you could simply look around, and the glasses might use your surroundings — signs, buildings, streets — to refine your location and update your route. The glasses’ camera feed could give Gemini the visual clues it needs to better help you, essentially letting AI “see” the world around you and guide you accordingly.
And for those who prefer to limit constant notifications, Google appears to be adding options to mute or disable navigation prompts and alerts. This customization provides users more control over how connected they want to be.
The future of multimodal navigation
While these features were uncovered in an app teardown, meaning they may change or never go live, they point to an exciting direction for wearable tech. Navigation could become far more intuitive, eliminating the need to check your phone mid-walk or second-guess street signs.
If Google pushes forward, walking through a city might one day feel a lot less confusing and a lot more like science fiction come to life.
As augmented reality and AI continue to shape how we interact with the world, tools such as Google Maps are scratching only the surface of what’s possible. Whether you’re excited about these smart features or just want to make sure your own mobile apps are up to speed, we’re here to help. If you need guidance or support with your mobile app projects, don’t hesitate to reach out.