Google Cloud announced availability of a new feature enabling users to engage in extended reality (XR) activities from their smartphones and eliminating the need to use wearable devices.

The company stated the Immersive Stream for XR service, first previewed at Google I/O in 2022, is now available to Google Cloud customers.

The service is powered by cloud-based GPUs allowing customers to render and stream 3D content on their Google apps, running on both Android and iOS smartphones.

The XR offering also supports tools developed by Unreal Engine, a 3D graphics generator, used to gain more traction from brands and content creators.

Use cases
To access Immersive Stream, users are invited to clock a link or scan a QR code, to “immediately be transported to extended reality”. For example, Google said it is using the XR tool for Google Map users to access its immersive view feature.

The feature also boasts a landscape mode to enable use larger screens, such as tablets or laptop computers.

Longer term, Google claimed enabling more accessible XR experiences on mobile can trigger innovative use cases in business and entertainment, naming automaker KIA, retailer Aosom and AR studio Virtual Worlds as early adopters of the service.