Qualcomm releases wireless AR glasses

Highly coveted by brands and users, augmented reality glasses are becoming more and more popular. The American firm specialising in mobile technologies announced its new AR glasses project on 20 May.

AR Smart Viewer by Qualcomm

The American company has released a new generation of chips adapted to the smartphone under the name Snapdragon 8 and Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. These chips aim to improve energy efficiency to avoid overheating, but also to improve graphics performance and offer optimal photo quality.

It was during this announcement that the release of a new AR glasses reference design was notified. Indeed, it is not the company Qualcomm which will market the product itself. The American firm is in charge of developing concepts that it then proposes to potentially interested companies. Named the Wirless AR Smart Viewer, these new AR glasses follow the XR1 Smart Viewer glasses released in February 2021. This model has therefore been improved and optimised to create a pair of glasses at the cutting edge of technology. As one of the major players in the augmented reality market, Qualcomm offers advanced technologies to deliver an immersive and unique AR experience.

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Smart Viewer features

From a functional point of view, the glasses must be connected to a smartphone or a computer. Indeed, the glasses only work when connected to another device, i.e. via split processing. The connection will not be USB-C, however, but wireless, either through Bluetooth or WiFi, which is what makes it different from the previous pair. Connectivity is therefore a key factor. With the FastConnect 6900 solution, the communication latency between the bezel and the computer, or smartphone, will be equivalent to 3 milliseconds, a very fast delay.

The real plus of this pair is therefore its performance. Indeed, equipped with Qualcomm's new process, the Snapdragon XR2 allows the pair to be twice as powerful as the previous pair with the same energy consumption. For example, image processing is optimised, faster and of better quality than the previous generation. The battery life of the pair is equivalent to 30 minutes of total use, taking into account that it is possible to add a battery if necessary.

On the aesthetic side, the Smart Viewer's main asset is that it is relatively light and thin. This sleek design gives a fresh look and is the opposite of the massive aesthetics of some AR glasses, aesthetics being an aspect valued by today's users. This sleek design is particularly noticeable in the weight of 115 grams, which is a very light and functional pair.

Google, Meta, Snapchat, Sony... Many players are getting into augmented reality by developing their glasses. These pairs of glasses are then an opportunity for users to live unique immersive experiences, each more realistic than the last.