Riding on the wave of Apple's success, Vision Pro, Qualcomm launches upgraded chip for mixed reality headsets

Riding on the wave of Apple's upcoming release of the heavyweight VR headset Vision Pro, Qualcomm's upgraded chip for mixed reality (MR) headsets is providing a boost to Vision Pro's competitors.

On January 4th, Qualcomm unveiled the second-generation Snapdragon XR2+ platform, claiming that this product adopts a single-chip architecture and can provide stunningly clear visual effects with a spatial computing resolution of 4.3K at a frame rate of 90 frames per second, catering to both work and entertainment needs.

Last September, Qualcomm released the second-generation Snapdragon XR2 platform, which supports MR and virtual reality (VR) technologies to provide a whole new immersive experience. The second-generation XR2+ version launched by Qualcomm further enhances performance based on the original version, with a 15% increase in GPU frequency and a 20% increase in CPU frequency, which will contribute to more realistic and detailed experiences for MR and VR devices.

Qualcomm introduced that the second-generation Snapdragon XR2+ platform possesses the powerful performance of the second-generation XR2. Devices equipped with the Snapdragon XR2+ second-generation platform can support 12 or more parallel cameras and have powerful on-device AI, making it easy to track users' movements and the surrounding environment, thus achieving convenient navigation and unparalleled experiences that integrate physical and digital spaces.

The second-generation Snapdragon XR2+ platform supports Qualcomm's latest FastConnect™ mobile connectivity system, providing a lag-free extended reality (XR) experience through ultra-fast Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 6E, as well as Bluetooth 5.3 and 5.2 wireless connections. The throughput is increased by 60% compared to the previous generation FastConnect, and the latency is reduced by 50%.

Last year, Qualcomm, Samsung, and Google reached a cooperation agreement on the development of MR devices. This Thursday, Qualcomm announced that two companies, Samsung and Google, have already adopted the second-generation Snapdragon XR2+ platform. Samsung and Google will use it to provide advanced XR experiences. Inkang Song, Vice President and Head of Technology Strategy at Samsung Electronics, stated that Qualcomm's new product will be used to support the XR experience of Galaxy smartphones. Shahram Izadi, Vice President of AR Business at Google, stated that the Android ecosystem will fully leverage the capabilities of the second-generation Snapdragon XR2+ to empower new experiences.

In addition, to help OEM manufacturers speed up product launches, Qualcomm has also introduced a brand-new MR and VR reference design developed by China's leading acoustic industry leader, Goertek, which incorporates Tobii's eye-tracking technology.This reference design supports two configurations: single-eye 3K and single-eye 4K, equipped with the second-generation Snapdragon XR2 and the second-generation Snapdragon XR2+ respectively.

Media reports have pointed out that Apple's announcement last year of the upcoming release of Vision Pro ignited the passion in the MR and VR device market. Qualcomm's chips have always been the core for many companies, other than Apple, trying to attract consumers to enter this market. However, such products have not really taken off yet.

According to Wall Street News, research firm Circana estimated that as of the end of November, the sales of VR headsets and AR glasses in the United States in 2023 decreased by nearly 40% compared to the previous year, far worse than the 2% decrease in 2022. The decline in VR market sales highlights the ongoing challenges that Meta faces in promoting VR technology as the mainstream, despite the company's continued heavy investment in the metaverse business.

However, Meta's new version of the Quest 3 headset had strong sales after its release in October 2023, at least helping to boost the market during the peak holiday season. In the eight weeks leading up to November, sales of VR headsets in the United States increased by 42% compared to the same period last year.

Earlier this week, Wall Street News learned from the supply chain that the Vision Pro, priced at $3,499, is expected to be launched in the United States on January 27, 2024. Some media outlets mentioned that the new XR chip launched by Qualcomm this time will be able to run Android applications, which means that companies can choose a more affordable headset compared to the Vision Pro.