Qualcomm launches subsequent era XR2 Gen 2 & AR1 Gen 1 platforms

September 27, 2023 – Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. has at present introduced two new spatial computing platforms with the disclosing of the brand new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 and Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 chipsets, which is able to deliver the corporate’s pioneering know-how to the following era of main combined actuality (MR), digital actuality (VR) gadgets and sensible glasses. 

Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 Platform

In line with Qualcomm, the XR2 Gen 2 platform is designed to “democratize premium MR and VR know-how in a single chip structure,” which the corporate states will unlock gaming, productiveness and leisure experiences in thinner and extra snug headsets that don’t require an exterior battery pack.

Qualcomm said that the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform options 2.5x higher GPU efficiency in comparison with the XR2 Gen 1 platform, for richer visuals with enhanced readability, textures, and colours at extra frames per second. It’s also optimized for resolutions as much as 3K decision per eye to ship higher pixel high quality and high-fidelity visuals.

XR2 Gen 2 may even present customers with greater constancy positional monitoring with 8x higher on system AI mixed with accelerated laptop imaginative and prescient, and assist for as much as ten concurrent cameras – that means the platform will be capable of unlock extra exact interactions on gadgets.

The platform additionally permits for the mixing of digital content material with bodily environment to seamlessly transition between MR and VR experiences, in accordance with Qualcomm. Full-color video-pass-through capabilities with speeds as quick as 12ms will present customers with improved visible constancy and digital consolation in MR experiences.

Different XR2 Gen 2 platform improvements embody the Qualcomm FastConnect Wi-Fi 6E/7 Platform and the Qualcomm FastConnect Software program Suite for XR, which is able to present lag-free XR experiences and break up rendering optimizations. To boost the platforms’ immersive capabilities, the Snapdragon Sound Expertise Suite will allow spatial audio each on-device, in addition to low-latency audio for customers who join wi-fi headphones or earbuds.

In line with Mark Zuckerberg on stage at Meta Connect at present, the Quest 3, which is powered by the brand new XR2 Gen 2 platform, will present twice the graphics efficiency than Meta’s Quest 2 predecessor.

Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 Platform

Along with the XR2 Gen 2 announcement, Qualcomm has unveiled its new AR1 Gen 1 platform, which the corporate states has been uniquely designed with energy optimizations to allow light-weight sensible glasses that function seamless seize, notifications, and highly effective on-glass AI. 

• Digital camera and Audio: The Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 Platform incorporates a twin ISP for skilled high quality digicam pictures and movies which might be captured from a first-person perspective. It will permit customers to seize, share, or live-stream their perspective, hands-free, straight from the glasses. The platform additionally helps as much as eight microphones. 
• On-device AI: AR1 Gen 1 will allow on-device AI, which is able to permit for picture and audio high quality enhancement, alongside visible search, real-time translation capabilities, and private assistants. 
• Show: The platform additionally unlocks superior sensible glasses with assist for binocular shows for a extra snug and handy visible heads-up show for content material consumption together with video, instructions, notifications and extra, that mix seamlessly within the customers’ discipline of view. 
• Connectivity: Extremely-fast connectivity utilizing the FastConnect 7800 Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 Platform will allow fast sharing of content material straight from sensible glasses, in accordance with Qualcomm.

Each platforms will commercially debut on Meta gadgets in 2023: Meta Quest 3 powered by Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 Platform, and Ray Ban Tales powered by Snapdragon AR1 Platform. 

“At Meta, we’re centered on growing the applied sciences of the longer term in combined actuality and sensible glasses, in addition to the foundational improvements that can sooner or later energy our imaginative and prescient for AR glasses,” stated Andrew “Boz” Bosworth, Meta’s CTO and Head of Actuality Labs. “Constructing this future computing platform requires an industry-leading companion and that is the place our long-standing collaboration with Qualcomm Applied sciences is essential. Collectively, we’re defining next-generation applied sciences that ship huge breakthroughs in energy, efficiency, and AI. The most recent Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 and Snapdragon AR1 Platforms, which energy Meta Quest 3 and our next-generation Ray-Ban Meta sensible glasses, are one other testomony to the power of this partnership and we’re thrilled for customers around the globe to expertise them.”

“Qualcomm Applied sciences has a relentless dedication to constructing pioneering XR know-how and options that can rework the way forward for spatial computing. The Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 and Snapdragon AR1 Platforms are the most recent purpose-built processors which might be designed to energy the following era of MR and VR gadgets and modern sensible glasses for all,” stated Hugo Swart, vp and GM of XR at Qualcomm Applied sciences, Inc. “The industrial debut of those two platforms with our companions at Meta is an additional step ahead in realizing our joint imaginative and prescient – unlocking premium, all-in-one XR gadgets and sensible glasses which might be reasonably priced to customers across the globe.” 

For extra details about Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR 2 Gen 2 platform, click on here. To study extra in regards to the AR1 Gen 1 platform, click on here.

Picture credit score: Qualcomm Applied sciences, Inc.