Qualcomm to Launch Next-Generation XR Chips in Collaboration with Samsung and LG for High-End Headsets

Qualcomm's latest XR chip, the Snapdragon XR2Gen2, is powering Meta's newest XR device, the Quest3. Building upon the Snapdragon 8Gen2 architecture, this chip offers a significant improvement in GPU performance, delivering twice the power of its predecessor, the Snapdragon XR2Gen1. However, Qualcomm is not stopping there. According to a recent interview with Hugo Swart, the vice president and general manager of Qualcomm's XR department, they are set to launch the next generation of XR chips in the first quarter of 2024. These chips will be incorporated into high-end headsets developed in collaboration with Samsung and LG.

While specific details about the upcoming devices were not disclosed by Hugo Swart, he confirmed Qualcomm's partnership with Samsung and LG. Samsung has been making notable progress since announcing its collaboration with Qualcomm and Google. The partnership was unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked conference in February of this year, but further information regarding their joint efforts has been kept under wraps. It is believed that Samsung aims to rival Apple in the XR market, particularly with Apple's yet-to-be-released Vision Pro headset.

Although the performance of the Snapdragon XR2Gen2 in the Quest3 is commendable, it still falls short in comparison to Apple's Vision Pro. Samsung and LG's XR devices are positioned as high-end offerings, and if they are to compete with the Vision Pro, they will require even more powerful chips. While Hugo Swart did not provide specific details, it is speculated that this "next generation XR chip" may be based on either the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or the Snapdragon X series. Both of these chips were unveiled at the recent Snapdragon Summit 2023, with the former designed for mobile platforms and the latter tailored for the next generation of PC platforms.