Semiconductor manufacturer Qualcomm announced on Thursday (4 January 2024) that Samsung and Google will be using its Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip in virtual reality (VR) headsets.
The chip can provide up to 4.3k pixel resolution per eye according to the company, creating a crisp and immersive image for headset users of VR and mixed reality.
Snapdragon has an improved GPU frequency of 15% compared to previous Qualcomm chips and can support 12 or more cameras in a headset, improving user tracking and navigation.
Qualcomm stated it was confident that Samsung and Google’s usage of the new Snapdragon chip would make them leaders in VR.
“Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 unlocks 4.3K resolution which will take XR productivity and entertainment to the next level by bringing spectacularly clear visuals to use cases such as room-scale screens, life-size overlays and virtual desktops,” stated Qualcomm’s vice president of VR Hugo Swart.
“We are advancing our commitment to power the best XR devices and experiences that will supercharge our immersive future,” he added.
The global VR market is forecast to be worth over $5bn by 2030, according to research and analyst company GlobalData in its thematic intelligence report into VR.
Whilst the current VR market remains heavily game centric, there may also be scope for VR to disrupt working and socialising habits predict GlobalData. Retail and defence also remain areas that could be greatly impacted by the adoption of VR technology.
