Qualcomm is betting big on AR/VR with its XR1 platform

“Qualcomm’s XR1 is a standalone processor tasked with powering AR and VR devices”

Over the last few years, we’ve seen some noticeable developments in AR and VR technologies. More and more enthusiast-grade VR headsets have hit the shelves and AR has been cleverly deployed in games like Pokemon Go, which took the entire world by a storm when after it came out. Moreover, thanks to the efforts of Google and Apple, developers around the world can leverage ARCore and ARkits to develop AR experiences for Android and iOS devices. 

That said, VR and AR technologies still have a long way to go if we are to live in a world as depicted in Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One. Despite being a billion dollar industry, we’re yet to see mass adoption of VR and AR headsets. However, things could soon change with Qualcomm’s XR1 platform, which hopes to bring high-quality XR devices to mainstream consumers.

What is Qualcomm’s XR platform?

For the uninitiated, XR is an umbrella term which is used to club Augmented reality (AR), Virtual reality (VR) and Mixed reality (MR) together. With the help of its newly launched XR1 chip, a dedicated processor made specifically for AR and VR devices, Qualcomm hopes to bring the aforementioned experiences to the masses.

How is it different from a Snapdragon processor?

In a nutshell, the XR1 chip is a stripped-down version of Qualcomm’s latest mobile processors. As a matter of fact, Qualcomm claims that the company’s Snapdragon 845 processor is a lot more powerful than the XR1 processor. However, bear in mind that unlike a standard smartphone processor, the XR1 processor has been optimised to deliver quality AR and VR experiences and therefore, it will be used to power standalone XR headsets only.

Why do we need XR1 powered VR and AR headsets?

As it stands, there are three different ways you can experience XR –

• By slapping your smartphone in a cheap, cardboard box.
• Using premium-quality standalone VR and AR headsets such as the Oculus Go
• Using tethered PCs, which provide an extremely immersive experience but could cost upwards of a few thousand dollars.

Of the three aforementioned categories, Qualcomm is targeting ‘high-quality’ standalone VR headsets. Consequently, VR and AR devices engineered using the XR1 chip will offer an immersive experience without being tethered to a PC. Now, when we look at the Oculus GO, the headset is backed by an ageing Snapdragon 821 processor. The XR1 processor is going to give such headsets a much-needed boost in performance, without bumping up their prices significantly.

What is the XR1 chip packing?

Spec-wise, Qualcomm’s XR1 chip will come with a dedicated CPU which will make use of Kyro cores, an Adreno-based GPU and a Spectra ISP along with a Hexagon DSP. What’s more, the chip will ship with an AI engine too, allowing the processor to leverage machine learning without being tethered to a PC or connecting to cloud-based services. The XR platform is compatible with most deep learning frameworks such as Caffe, Caffe 2, Tensor Flow and ONNX, and can work with the latest graphics APIs too, such as Vulkan and OpenGL.

Consequently, XR1-based devices will be able to project 4K videos and use 3DoF and 6DoF (3-degrees of freedom and 6-degrees of freedom), depending upon the price point of the headset for an immersive AR/VR experience. For audio, the company’s XR platform supports aptX and Aqstic audio too, paving way for crystal-clear HiFi sound and ‘always on’ voice assistance at users’ disposal.

When can we expect XR-based devices?

Although the date is not set in stone yet, Qualcomm claims that we can expect XR-based devices in 2019. The company has even partnered with brands like Vive, Meta, Vuzix and Pico which will make use of the brand’s XR platform.

Closing thoughts

It’s no secret that AR and VR devices have struggled to make their mark so far, but now with Qualcomm’s XR platform backing them up, we can expect more devices to reach the masses very soon. Moreover, part of the reason behind the platform’s slow growth can also be attributed to the lack of good quality AR and VR experiences.

But, with Google’s ARCore / Daydream and Apple’s ARKit, we can expect more developers to get behind AR and VR technologies. Qualcomm projects that by 2023, there will be over 188 million standalone AR and VR devices in the market. It’s an ambitious goal, but one that will change the way we consume media forever.

Disclosure: this writer attended MWC Shanghai on Qualcomm India’s invitation

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