Google’s Likeness Avatars Signal a New Era for Android XR
Photorealistic avatars have long been a holy grail of extended reality. For decades, the XR industry struggled to move beyond cartoonish representations that felt playful but emotionally hollow. Apple changed that conversation with Personas on Vision Pro, proving that realistic digital self-representation could cross the uncanny valley and feel genuinely human. Now, Google has entered the arena. With the rollout of its new photorealistic “Likeness” avatars for Android XR, Google is signaling that it intends to compete seriously in the emerging market for spatial presence and virtual communication. This is not just about avatars. It is about redefining how people … Read more