Qualcomm announced a new platform for processing mixed reality devices. It’s called Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2, it will be used by companies like Samsung, Google or HTC and it aims to become the main hardware to compete with Apple’s Vision Pro.

Everything related to VR/AR has collapsed compared to the predictions that called it the Holy Grail a decade ago. Sales were minimal and many companies that entered this market (Google, Microsoft…) did poorly. Today, only Meta and HTC have an ecosystem that can interest consumers. But as usual, Apple, even though it arrived last, has sparked new interest in the sector.

The Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 is a promising development over the original version used in the Meta Quest Pro. For starters, it offers support for 4.3K resolution per eye at 90 frames per secondwhich will allow quite realistic spatial calculations.

This resolution can offer life-size overlays and large room-scale displays and virtual surfaces “with amazing clarity like never before”, says Hugo Swart, one of Qualcomm’s vice presidents in his presentation. The platform allows you to create devices with more than 12 cameras and sensors in simultaneous operation for advanced hand and eye tracking, eye and face tracking cameras, external cameras, motion or depth tracking.

The first chip is expected to increase CPU frequencies by 20%, while GPU frequencies will improve by 15%. They say the performance of the mandatory chip for AI will be eight times higher. It will support Wi-Fi 7, a next-generation standard that will be deployed this year, which will be important for connecting devices to PCs, and will also have a next-generation image signal processor (Qualcomm Spectra).

Qualcomm created its own reference device with its partner Goertek and using Tobii eye-tracking cameras. Giants like Google and Samsung, which partnered with Qualcomm last year, will be using it in their devices, and we expect some of their many partners, from HTC to mobile phone makers, to be supported as well.

The latest information says that the Apple Vision Pro will be available at the end of this month, and it is well known that those from Cupertino end up “getting oil” from everything they put on the market. It could be a turning point for a sector that fell well below original forecasts but is unknown. Software is also vital and we have no systems or application reports.

Finally, talk about an important point: price. Apple’s browser will cost $3,500, and this is where the rest of the manufacturers could have an advantage. In the future, Apple is rumored to launch a second, cheaper variant to reach the consumer market.