Qualcomm Develops Chip Specifically for AR And VR Devices

Even though augmented reality and virtual reality haven’t really caught on as fast and as explosively as industry insiders might have hoped, Qualcomm still decided to invest heavily in the field. The company just revealed that it has created a chip that is specifically intended for powering headsets with those functionalities. It can be fitted into the Oculus Rift or the HTC Vive.

Called the Snapdragon XR1, this is supposedly the first "dedicated Extended Reality (XR) platform" by Qualcomm that is specifically intended to be installed in AR or VR devices, Engadget reports. It will supposedly enable a much better experience through those devices whether it’s through improved visual quality, audio feedback and better interactive controls.

It would also seem that some companies producing AR and VR devices are already using the chip to create their products, including Meta, Vive, and Vuzix. As early as next year, these devices could become available to the public, which would make 4K video running at a sweet 60FPS count with excellent 3D overlays a standard.

On top of the improvements in the visual aspect of the experience, the chip also supposedly helps with other aspects such as better immersion in terms of sound. Using a feature called head-related transfer functions, the chip can basically enable devices to transmit sound as if it was coming from specific points and directions. This means that the users will be much more engaged in the experience.

There is certainly a lot of potential in this new platform, especially if installed in a product like the Oculus Go, CNBC notes. That particular device is still rocking a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821, which was built for smartphones. As a result, it can’t bring out the full capabilities of the chip. With the XR1, however, the Go could become the product that would spearhead the explosive growth of the VR industry.