Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon revealed that the company is working with Samsung and Google to develop mixed-reality smart glasses connected to smartphones. This marks a distinct approach compared to Apple, which launched a bulkier mixed-reality headset, the Vision Pro. The collaboration is aimed at delivering more portable and convenient devices to the market.
Last year, the three companies formed a partnership to explore mixed-reality technology, which merges augmented and virtual reality by overlaying digital images on real-world environments. Amon’s comments provide one of the first insights into this partnership. He expressed hopes that consumers with smartphones will also adopt companion smart glasses as part of the experience.
The mixed-reality glasses project remains in its early stages, with details still limited. Samsung and Google were unavailable for comment. However, Amon mentioned that this initiative is expected to introduce new products and experiences, with Qualcomm positioning itself at the forefront of this market through its Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 chip, designed specifically for smart glasses. Qualcomm has been promoting the integration of AI in devices like smartphones and PCs, highlighting how AI can run on the device itself instead of relying on cloud processing.
The demand for AR and VR headsets, though growing, is still small compared to smartphones. According to the International Data Corporation, 9.7 million headsets are expected to ship this year, significantly lower than the forecast of 1.23 billion smartphones. A common complaint with current AR and VR devices is their large, uncomfortable design. Amon suggested that creating glasses resembling regular eyewear could address this issue and attract a wider audience.
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Samsung, Google, and Qualcomm’s smart glasses aim to deliver a different experience from Apple’s Vision Pro headset, which is controlled through hand gestures and worn on the user’s head. Although details about the product are still scarce, TM Roh, head of Samsung’s mobile division, mentioned in an earlier interview with CNBC that Samsung is working on a new “mixed-reality platform,” expected to be announced later this year. This platform will likely focus on software.
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