How to Build Your First App on Android XR: A Complete Developer Guide for 2025

Spatial computing is entering a new era, and at the center of it is Android XR development—Google’s next-generation platform powering immersive apps on devices like the Samsung Galaxy XR. As the XR industry shifts toward open ecosystems, developers now have the opportunity to build powerful, scalable spatial applications using Android tools, Snapdragon Spaces, and industry-familiar frameworks like Unity and Unreal Engine.

This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough of everything developers and enterprise teams need to know to get started with Android XR development in 2025—covering architecture, SDK setup, build pipelines, best practices, and deployment strategies for real-world XR applications.

It is designed as a hybrid enterprise + developer resource, equally valuable for engineers building XR products and for organizations planning to adopt spatial computing at scale.

For years, XR has been divided across closed ecosystems—visionOS for Apple, Meta’s proprietary OS for Quest, and a patchwork of Android-based headsets with limited standardization. The launch of Android XR changes this landscape entirely.

Android XR development provides:

• A unified open platform for spatial computing

• A consistent API surface for OEMs

• Integration with Snapdragon Spaces for cross-device compatibility

• Familiarity for Android developers transitioning to XR

• A scalable future-proof XR ecosystem

As spatial computing becomes central to enterprise workflows—including training, design, visualization, collaboration, and medical applications—Android XR development gives organizations an accessible, affordable path into XR using open tools and flexible deployment models.

Android XR is Google’s purpose-built spatial computing operating system, designed for immersive apps that blend physical and digital experiences. Unlike past Android VR shells, Android XR is a first-class XR OS with dedicated APIs for:

• Spatial input (hand, head, eye tracking)

• Passthrough video

• Spatial scene understanding

• Anchors and meshing

• Stereoscopic windows

• XR permissions and system UI

Google’s official announcement confirmed that Android XR is part of a long-term strategy to unify spatial computing across multiple manufacturers.
🔗 External source: The Verge – Google launches Android XR
https://www.theverge.com/

This means Android XR development will not be limited to the Samsung Galaxy XR—it will become a multi-OEM standard for AR/VR hardware over the next decade.

Key Advantages of Android XR

• Backed by Google’s engineering and developer ecosystem

• Seamless integration with Android Studio

• Shared libraries with traditional Android apps

• Accelerated onboarding for developers

• Predictable update cycles

• Open ecosystem vs walled-garden model

This is why Android XR is considered the “Android moment” of spatial computing.

Android XR wouldn’t be possible without the three-way partnership between:

Samsung — Hardware innovation

Google — The Android XR operating system

Qualcomm — Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset + Spaces SDK

This collaboration mirrors the original Android smartphone era, where OEMs aligned behind a shared OS to compete with Apple. Today, Samsung Galaxy XR is the flagship Android XR device, but many more XR devices are coming.

Why this matters for developers

• Stability: This ecosystem will grow for many years

• Consistency: Standardized APIs minimize fragmentation

• Performance: Qualcomm’s XR hardware is industry-leading

• Scalability: Apps built today will work on future XR devices

Qualcomm officially confirmed this direction in their Snapdragon Spaces roadmap.
🔗 External source: Qualcomm Snapdragon Spaces Developer Portal
https://spaces.qualcomm.com/

With these three companies aligned, Android XR development becomes the most strategic long-term investment in the spatial computing space.

Here’s how to begin your Android XR development workflow in 2025.

1. Install Android Studio (latest version)

Android XR development uses official tooling in Android Studio, including:

• Android XR templates

• XR Emulator

• XR Input APIs

• Spatial windowing previews

Android Studio remains the primary environment for native XR apps.

2. Install Snapdragon Spaces SDK

You’ll need either:

• The Unity SDK, or

• The Unreal Engine plugin, or

• The Native Android XR SDK

Spaces provides:

• Hand tracking

• 6DoF tracking

• Depth estimation

• Spatial anchors

• Meshing

3. Enable XR Extensions in your IDE

Depending on your workflow:

In Unity:

Enable XR Plug-in Management → Snapdragon Spaces XR → Android platform build.

In Unreal:

Enable Snapdragon Spaces plugin → Configure XR session.

In Android Studio:

Use Android XR Activity template → Add XR Manifest flags.

4. Test using XR Emulator or Samsung Galaxy XR hardware

Samsung’s XR Emulator provides:

• Stereo rendering preview

• Head pose simulation

• Controller simulation

• Passthrough testing

But real device testing is essential for latency and tracking behavior.

5. Build your first spatial scene

Start with:

• A floating 3D panel

• A spatial button

• A tracked hand gesture

• A passthrough-enabled room

This simple workflow begins your journey into Android XR development.

Unity remains the most accessible engine for Android XR development thanks to:

• Extensive XR documentation

• Fast iteration loops

• Strong enterprise support

• Robust UI workflows

• Proven pipelines for AR and VR apps

Key Steps:

1. Install Unity LTS

Use the current LTS release for maximum XR stability.

2. Enable XR Plugins

Activate:

• OpenXR

• Snapdragon Spaces

• Android XR extensions (Unity will detect them)

3. Configure Scenes for XR

Recommended components:

• XR Rig

• Main Camera (stereo)

• Hand Tracking Subsystem

• Spaces Anchors

• Event System for spatial interactions

4. Use Passthrough

Android XR includes APIs for:

• Background passthrough

• Occlusion

• Blending with virtual objects

5. Optimize

Unity apps require:

• SRP (URP recommended)

• Draw call reduction

• Lightweight shaders

• Accurate dynamic batching

• GPU instancing

Unity is especially strong for:

• Training simulations

• 3D visualization

• Interactions

• Multi-user XR experiences

If your team needs help, Frame Sixty specializes in Unity XR workflows:
https://framesixty.com/virtual-reality-development

Unreal Engine is ideal for high-fidelity Android XR development, especially for:

• Architecture

• Automotive

• Medical visualization

• Realistic environments

Key Unreal Setup Steps:

1. Enable Snapdragon Spaces plugin

2. Configure XR session

3. Use Forward Rendering for mobile XR

4. Optimize materials

5. Reduce dynamic lighting when possible

Unreal provides superior:

• Photoreal lighting

• Nanite/LODs

• MetaHumans for lifelike avatars

This makes Unreal a powerful choice for enterprise XR apps requiring realism.

Snapdragon Spaces is the spatial engine supporting:

• Passthrough

• Room meshing

• Hand and gesture tracking

• 6DoF tracking

• Environmental understanding

• Anchors and persistence

Spaces is essential to Android XR development and is compatible with:

• Unity

• Unreal

• Native Android apps

Qualcomm maintains an extensive documentation library for developers.
https://spaces.qualcomm.com

Spaces ensures your apps work across:

• Samsung Galaxy XR

• Lenovo XR devices

• HTC XR devices

• Future Android XR headsets

This reduces fragmentation and increases long-term ROI for enterprise builds.

Enterprises are accelerating adoption of Android XR development because it’s:

• Open

• Scalable

• Affordable

• High quality

• Multi-device compatible

Here are use cases organizations can deploy in 2025:

1. Training & Simulation

• Manufacturing

• Healthcare

• Aerospace

• Logistics

• Emergency training

XR reduces training costs and improves retention.

2. Remote Collaboration

• Shared spatial workspaces

• Virtual monitors

• Remote inspections

Android XR’s open ecosystem enables enterprise-level IT integration.

3. Field Service & AR Support

• Passthrough overlays

• Step-by-step guidance

• IoT-connected equipment visualization

   

4. Architecture & Design Review

Spatial visualization accelerates workflows for AEC teams.

5. Medical & Scientific Visualization

Samsung Galaxy XR offers detailed stereoscopic rendering for:

• Anatomy

• Imaging

• Data visualization

Frame Sixty specializes in enterprise XR deployment:
https://framesixty.com/augmented-reality-development

Optimizing XR apps is critical due to thermal and resolution constraints.

1. Use URP or Forward Renderers

Reduces cost of lighting and shading.

2. Limit Real-Time Lights

Use baked or precomputed lighting.

3. Optimize Materials

Avoid:

• Transparency layers

• Complex compute shaders

• High-resolution textures

4. Use GPU Instancing

Massively reduces draw calls.

5. Maintain 60–90 FPS

For comfort and low latency, your Android XR development workflow must:

• Limit physics

• Avoid unnecessary particle effects

• Optimize scene geometry

2025 marks the beginning of a new era in spatial computing, powered by Android XR development, Snapdragon Spaces, and the Samsung Galaxy XR platform. Developers now have an open, scalable, and future-proof foundation for building spatial applications across multiple devices.

Enterprise teams can deploy XR solutions at scale using familiar tools like Android Studio, Unity, and Unreal—greatly reducing barriers to entry. Android XR represents the most significant ecosystem shift since the early days of mobile computing.

Organizations ready to build XR experiences can connect with Frame Sixty for full-cycle development and deployment:
https://framesixty.com/contact