QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) is giving Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL, ETR:APC) rivals Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (ADR) (LSE:BC94) and Google some powerful ammunition for their mixed reality headsets designed to challenge Apple’s Vision Pro.
The company announced its latest chip, the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2. It’s a souped-up version of the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 that Meta used in its Quest 3 headset.
Notably, Qualcomm partnered with Google and Samsung last year to work on mixed reality devices. Now, with the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 capable of running Android applications, Apple’s rivals could release a cheaper headset than the Vision Pro, which retails for $3,499.
“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,” Hugo Swart, vice president and general manager of extended reality at Qualcomm, said a statement.
However, if and when such a headset from Samsung or Google would hit the market remains unknown.