Google adds 3D movies to Samsung Galaxy XR via Google TV

The Google TV app for Samsung’s Galaxy XR just got a significant upgrade in the cinematic department, as the search giant has started to release an enhanced 3D movie offering.

Now, from an initial list of 18, early adopters can choose from more than 50 virtual reality films that can be rented or purchased and watched in the headset — answering one of their loudest complaints: not enough premium 3D content.

Why this matters for Galaxy XR and broader XR viewers

Great hardware requires great content, after all, and full-length 3D movies have been the missing piece for a lot of XR platforms. Although YouTube overflows with 180- and 360-degree videos, well-regarded narrative 3D movies have been much rarer. Google, by bearing fruit for the Google TV catalog, is cutting some of that friction for Galaxy XR owners who want a theater experience but don’t want to futz around with niche apps or sideloaded files.

It also brings the XR ecosystem on Android closer to rivals for the first time. Apple’s Vision Pro arrived with dozens of 3D titles built into the Apple TV app, which has been complemented by Disney’s statement of over forty 3D films at launch. Meta users have strapped on services like Bigscreen for rentals, but a native first-party storefront with a growing 3D shelf is an important signal that mainstream platforms now consider 3D a core feature, not merely something added after the fact.

What’s new in the 3D movie library on Google TV today

According to community reports, the refreshed lineup includes animated hits, big-budget blockbusters, and family-friendly fare. Notable releases include Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, No Time to Die, Wicked, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, Men in Black 3, and How to Train Your Dragon. Availability will vary by region, of course, but the upgrade from 18 to 50-plus is enough to shift your weekly watchlist around.

Like other Google TV content, you can rent or buy, and playback happens in a virtual theater on Galaxy XR. It remains to be seen how far 4K and HDR support extends in these 3D listings. In the real world, 3D delivery often involves side-by-side or frame-packed encodes, which can affect perceived resolution. Early testers should anticipate variations in technical specifications, title by title, which is common across platforms.

Playback, compatibility, and the Galaxy XR viewing experience

Here’s the value proposition: fire up the Google TV app on Galaxy XR, rent or purchase a 3D title (it costs around $5.99 for a rental), and you’ll be watching as if you were sitting in the middle row of a multiplex.

Things like headset optics, lens clarity, and comfort matter more than they do on your living room TV, and the Galaxy XR render processing pipeline does its part to maintain those depth cues and motion smoothness that can make or break 3D immersion.

Google’s move also marks further broad appeal for Android-based headsets. Galaxy XR is the big beneficiary today, but a unified 3D library on Google TV makes it possible for other Android versions of XR devices to dip into the same pool — ultimately reducing frustration for movie makers, software distributors, and you.

Finding 3D titles is still painful without a filter

There is a small catch: Google TV doesn’t have a discrete 3D filter as of this writing, so hunting down the app’s entire catalog of eligible 3D titles can be a scavenger hunt.

Galaxy XR users have banded together to create a crowdsourced database seemingly updated with all the confirmed 3D titles you can buy on Google’s store. Until Google includes a distinct 3D badge and filter, that effort from the community can serve collectors as a stopgap.

The bigger picture for a potential 3D revival across XR

The return of 3D to headsets is a second life for the throwaway format on TVs. Where living rooms were a compromise (glasses, loss of brightness, and viewing angles were killers), XR offers personal, correctly calibrated displays and steady head tracking. That tends to make 3D feel more natural and less fatiguing to the eyes, especially with animated features and modern conversions that generally retain depth without overdoing the parallax.

For studios, a turnkey channel to sell or rent 3D libraries is new money off old titles that collected dust after the 3D TV era. For consumers, it introduces a straightforward test: if the Galaxy XR can provide a credible virtual cinema experience with a regular drumbeat of blockbuster 3D releases, then XR will amount to a legitimate home theater alternative — and one that fits in your backpack.

What to watch next as Google expands 3D support on XR

We’d expect Google to continue squaring away search and labeling of 3D, expanding availability region by region, and tightening technical consistency across titles. Assuming this rollout proceeds, the Galaxy XR could very well emerge as the quickest way to watch popular 3D movies at home, with Google’s TV app serving as an anchor for studios and streamers eager not just to appeal to but to meet viewers where they are: inside a virtual theater.