Meanwhile, Qualcomm's AR head, Hugo Swart, suggests that the future of VR and AR lies in integrating these technologies with existing devices, such as phones and PCs. He also hinted at the potential for VR headsets to serve as a testing ground for AR ideas before they are implemented in smaller AR glasses. Despite the advancements in VR and AR technologies, Swart believes that the development of higher-end AR glasses is being impeded by challenges in display and optics.
Key takeaways:
- Qualcomm's new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 and AR1 Gen 1 chipsets, which debut on the Meta's new Quest 3 and its updated Ray-Ban glasses, are expected to appear in many other devices, indicating the future of VR and AR technology.
- The XR2 Gen 2 chipset's greatest strength is its improved passthrough mixed reality, which allows for more immersive AR-like experiences without the need for see-through lenses.
- Qualcomm's AR1 Gen 1 chip, used in Meta's newest Ray-Ban smart glasses, is focused on improving camera, audio and AI performance on smaller smart glasses, and can support displays up to 1,280x1,280-pixel resolution per eye.
- While VR headsets are currently being used as a platform to explore AR ideas, the future may see AR glasses taking over in smaller sizes, depending on how the hardware develops.