JAKARTA - In the midst of a sea of booths full of AI jargon and 6G infrastructure, Google chose a much cuter approach at the 2026 Mobile World Congress. Android Avenue is back, complete with tiny Android figures that steal the show while promoting the company's big ambitions in the field of extended reality.
In the area between Hall 2 and Hall 3 of Fira Barcelona, Google built a large installation where Android figures seemed to "build" the Android logo. Some painted, some climbed scaffolding, some worked like a mini construction crew. The details are not trivial. Even the window cleaning figure is placed on a motorized platform, moving up and down as if actually cleaning the glass.
The tradition of this Android figure is indeed a hallmark of Google at MWC, but this year the main spotlight is clearly not just decoration. The biggest focus is in the Android XR area, where Google gives a live demo of their extended reality device.
Visitors can try the Galaxy XR as well as the prototype of Google's own Android XR glasses. This device was previously introduced at the Google I/O event, but MWC 2026 became a stage with a wider audience, making it the largest public demo so far.
The glasses on display are monocular models, meaning the visual display only appears in one eye. Neurologically, this is indeed a bit unique because the brain has to compensate for the visual difference between the two eyes. However, the reported experience feels intuitive and quite natural after a few minutes of use.
The display is said to be sharp and clear, with smooth interface animations and deep integration with Google and Gemini services. Interaction via the touchpad on the frame of the glasses is also responsive, while the built-in speakers are said to produce impressive sound even though the device is not yet the final version.
In terms of design, the device still feels a little tight on the face, but the construction is solid and feels mature for the prototype stage. In the category of smart glasses, the impression is said to be much better than similar devices that have been circulating.
Outside the XR area, Google also showed off other demos, including a generation of video based on Gemini. However, the longest queue still leads to XR glasses. The combination of generative AI and direct display in front of the eyes is clearly a magnet.
This year's MWC showed that competition is not only about folding phones or new generation chips. Extended reality is starting to move from a futuristic concept to a real experience that can be tried directly. Google seems to want to ensure that Android is not left behind in the next phase of computing, where the screen is no longer in the hand, but right in front of the view.
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