Yesterday Qualcomm unveiled the mobile processor Snapdragon 8 Gen2. It is a smartphone chipset that will debut exclusively on the top of the 2023 range, such as on Xiaomi 13 and OnePlus 11. But the US giant also has presented another product, that is Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1. Here too, we are faced with a processor but this time for smart glass. A product that, in the near future, we will be called upon to purchase and use.
Qualcomm has announced, together with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1. This is the new processor for smart glasses
The chip Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 4nm technology, designed specifically for smart glasses and augmented reality, has joined Qualcomm's family of mobile platforms. Its main features are high performance, support for the Wi-Fi standard 7 high speed and a design modulate which will significantly reduce the size of smart electronics. Curious to note that even the first HTC viewer it will be modular.
While developing the new chip, Qualcomm focused on features such as compactness, high performance and low energy consumption. To do this, the mobile platform had to be divided into three parts. The first is the AR chip itself, which is responsible for controlling the displays and processing the video stream from the cameras. It is 40% smaller than the Snapdragon XR2, but 2.5x faster in AI scenarios at half the power consumption.
The second module is a separate co-processor combines camera and sensor data, uses iris authentication and handles eye tracking. The latter can be used to "save" on rendering by increasing the resolution of textures only in those parts of the screen where the user is looking.
The third element of the platform is the communication module. The Wi-Fi 7800 enabled FastConnect 7 system processes data from the controller with 6 degrees of freedom and is responsible for positioning based on the data received from the cameras. According to Qualcomm, this design have used il 45% fewer cables and the separate arrangement of the modules makes the device more balanced.
The company does not plan to produce its own smart glasses, but rather will outsource their production to OEM partners. Brands like Lenovo, LG, Niantic, Nreal, Oppo, Pico, Sharp, TCL and others are already working with the new platform. The release date of the first devices based on the Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 platform has not yet been announced.
