Android XR devices, like Samsung’s newly launched Galaxy XR headset, are getting some neat Google Photos tricks. One Android XR trick turns your 2D photos into 3D ones, similar to spatial photos on the Apple Vision Pro.
Google announced that with the launch of the Galaxy XR headset, Google Photos is launching some additional XR-focused features. They’ll presumably be unique tools available through devices like Galaxy XR or other Android XR devices launching in the future, due to the nature of spatial Android devices.
One of the more glitzy features is a 3D photo tool. Google Photos can take existing 2D photos taken with a phone or other devices and turn them into three-dimensional “experiences.” The announcement doesn’t go into much detail, but one can imagine it’ll be similar to what the Apple Vision Pro is capable of with the “spatial photos” function, which does effectively the same thing to liven up flat images.
Samsung released a video with the function in play, and it looks a lot like the existing Google Photos ‘photo to video’ tool in the mobile app. The difference here is that users will be able to step into the converted images a little more with an Android XR headset.
The Gemini-powered photo to video tool was introduced in mid-2025. It uses Google’s Veo video genreation model to add frames and animation based on still images.
Google Photos will also allow users to view panoramas and 360-degree images as intended. Since the Galaxy XR and other Android XR devices respond to movement like a traditional VR headset, large-scale photos will feel more realistic.
Those two features are part of the “Immersive” mode. A “Home Space” mode is also available, which lets users view and edit photos the same way they would on a traditional mobile device. Think of it as a desktop mode alongside other apps in virtual space on Android XR.
It was almost expected that Android XR would come with a 3D photos feature in some capacity. It was previously rumored that Samsung would offer a new “3D capture” feature for Galaxy phones to use with the Galaxy XR headset. It’s unknown if the function will play well with Google Photos’ 3D image tool, or if a dedicated Samsung gallery app might be needed.
Follow Andrew: Bluesky, Twitter/X, and Threads
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments