Qualcomm launched two new chipsets for extended reality devices and wearables, which debuted on Meta's headset and smart glasses.
Qualcomm announced not one, but two new “spatial computing” platforms for digital realities, launching these new platforms alongside Meta’s new headset and smart glasses.
Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2.
The Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 is designed for premium-tier devices that deliver mixed reality (MR) and virtual reality (VR) content. Qualcomm specifically said that the chipset is made for devices that are “thinner and more comfortable”, that also doesn’t “require an external battery pack” — seemingly referencing the Apple Vision Pro for having both the bulk and wired battery connection.
Qualcomm said that the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 is the chipset responsible for Meta Quest 3. According to the chipset’s product page, it can support up to 3k x 3k displays, and has eight times “more performant AI” and 2.5x more GPU performance than its predecessor.
Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1.
The other processor launched is the Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1, which goes into the Ray-Ban | Meta Smart Glasses. This chip offers support for “binocular displays”, which means packing in 3DoF (3D depth of field) and 1,280 x 1,280 pixels resolution per eye at 60FPS. For AI workloads, it offers Qualcomm’s Hexagon NPU (third-gen) and an AR-grade engine for visual analytics.
Both chipsets are compatible with the latest connectivity needs, like Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3.
These chipsets launched at a curious time, considering how this year’s Snapdragon Summit was scheduled to happen later this year: 24 to 26 October 2023. Qualcomm will likely reintroduce these platforms at its annual keynote and launch a couple more for other devices during its update to its customers and end-users.
Source: Qualcomm
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