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Samsung and Google are making XR headsets to rival Apple Vision Pro

Qualcomm has announced a new chip for mixed reality headsets, which will power big name alternatives to Apple’s forthcoming Vision Pro.

The new Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 2 is the updated version of the chip currently being used in Meta Quest 3 mixed reality headset. It will be used within forthcoming and as-yet-unannounced devices from Samsung and Google, the company says.

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The newest chipset will mean better screens with improved graphics performance overall, Qualcomm says. CPU performance is up 20% and GPU performance is up 15% in mixed and virtual reality.

“The Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 supports 4.3K per eye resolution and 12 or more concurrent cameras to deliver crisp, immersive mixed reality (MR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences,” Qualcomm says in a press release.

That’ll translate into massive productivity and entertainment gains with “spectacularly clear visuals” with screens the size of the room, and spatial computing in 4K.

Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 Hero Visual

Those 12 cameras will work “with powerful on-device AI, Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2-powered devices can effortlessly track the user, their movements, and the world around them for effortless navigation and unparalleled experiences that merge physical and digital spaces.”

Having Google and Samsung on board suggests it won’t be long before we see announcements from both companies in the near future, pertaining to their own hardware.

“Samsung is thrilled to collaborate with Qualcomm Technologies and Google in revolutionising the mobile industry once more,” Samsung VP Inkang Song said. “With Samsung’s mobile expertise and our joint commitment, we aim to create the best-in-class XR experience for Galaxy users.”

“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies and Samsung on the future of immersive and spatial XR,” said Shahram Izadi, vice president of AR at Google. “We’re excited for the Android ecosystem to take advantage of Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2’s capabilities and enable new experiences.”

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