The question of user privacy is paramount as XR headsets become more prevalent and gain the ability to see the world around us. Specifically, how these devices handle camera permissions for third-party applications is critical. Fortunately, it appears Android XR addresses these concerns by implementing a permission system similar to standard Android.
Android XR Camera Permissions
A discussion with a Google representative shed light on how Android XR handles camera access for XR headsets. Let’s explore the details.
Step 1: Understand that Android XR allows third-party apps to request camera access.
Step 2: Recognize that before granting access, the system prompts the user for permission, mirroring the process on Android smartphones.
Step 3: Differentiate between front and rear camera access.
Step 4: Be aware that apps requesting rear camera access receive feed from the “world-facing camera”.
Step 5: Note that apps requesting front camera access are given “an image stream containing the user’s avatar”.
Step 6: Consider the source of the avatar video stream, which is generated by Avatar provider apps/services.
Step 7: Remember these apps create the stream using user tracking data from OpenXR APIs (e.g., head, hand, eye, face).
Step 8: Be aware that this tracking data comes from physical inward-facing cameras that monitor user movements and facial expressions.
In essence, the camera permission model in Android XR for devices such as Samsung’s Project Moohan XR headset functions similarly to that of Android on phones. Hopefully, more details, including pricing and availability, about the headset will be available soon.
This approach provides users with control over which applications can access camera data, much like they already experience on their Android phones.