Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon XR2 platform is fully wireless

Qualcomm introduced its first-generation of augmented reality (AR) prototype platform based on the Snapdragon XR1 platform a little more than a year ago. It was specifically designed to provide users with an immersive experience in a headset or smart glasses device, which could be connected to a smartphone or Windows PC/laptop.

However, the XR1 AR Smart Viewer reference design, in this case the smart glasses, had to be connected to a device via cable. Unlike a simple AR viewer, the AR smart viewer features processing power both in the reference design and the host device, which greatly helps distribute computing workloads.

Now, the second-generation of the technology has been refined and Qualcomm revealed today that its new Snapdragon XR2 platform is fully wireless. The new wireless AR smart viewer eliminates the cord between AR smart glasses and a compatible smartphone, Windows PC, or processing puck, and we believe this is the biggest upgrade from Snapdragon XR1.

Still, the improvements don’t stop here. The reference design for the Snapdragon XR2 is 40% thinner and has a more balanced weight distribution, so they’re more comfortable to wear. The smart glasses have dual micro-OLED binocular display (full HD resolution) with frame rates up to 90Hz and a no-motion-blur feature to provide a seamless AR experience.

Also, thanks to the fully integrated Qualcomm FastConnect 6900 solution, the reference design now supports Wi-Fi 6 / 6E and Bluetooth connectivity, allowing users to receive the fastest commercially available speeds and increased range. Wi-Fi 6 is not just a simple speed boost, although that's certainly its biggest advantage. Compared to Wi-Fi 5 that offers download speeds of up to 3.5Gbps, Wi-Fi 6 can reach speeds of up to 9.6Gbps.

Qualcomm confirmed that its new Snapdragon XR2 platform and the Wireless AR Smart Viewer reference design are already available for select partners, with wider availability expected in the coming months.