Meta and Qualcomm announce partnership with new multi-year agreement

After relying on its chips for its previous products, it appears that Meta will continue its relationship with Qualcomm, signing a new multi-year “widespread strategic agreement” with the company. The two companies announced the partnership during IFA 2022, with the aim of developing expertise that leverages Qualcomm’s custom XR platforms for future Meta Quest projects.

In addition, Meta and Qualcomm will strengthen their relationship by collaborating on a deeper level for next-generation projects. While the companies haven’t announced any new products or platforms, they say they will offer “multiple generations of premium devices and experiences powered by dedicated VR platforms in the coming years.”

Cristiano Amon, Qualcomm President and CEO, said:

By partnering with Meta, we are bringing together two of the world’s metaverse leaders to revolutionize the future of computing for billions of people in the coming years. Building on our shared leadership at XR, this agreement will allow our companies to provide the best hardware and expertise to transform how we work, play, learn, create and communicate in a fully realized metaverse.

Mark Zuckerberg, Founder and CEO of Meta, stated:

We are working with Qualcomm Technologies on dedicated virtual reality chips — powered by Snapdragon XR platforms and technology — for the future roadmap for Quest products. These chipsets will help us continue to push virtual reality to its limits and deliver great experiences.

Recently, the two of them signed up for Meta Quest 2, which was first announced nearly two years ago. Unlike previous Quest headsets that used the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, the updated model introduced a new platform designed specifically for AR and VR devices called Snapdragon XR2. The Quest 2 has been a relative success, selling 14.8 million units worldwide since its release, providing a versatile experience that can be used with both a PC and a stand-alone headset. However, what made the headset so great was its low price, which was recently changed, as Meta announced a price increase on August 1.

For the next step, Meta was acquiring the next VR headset, Project Cambria. The headset is rumored to be a high-end unit that can cost anywhere from $800 to $1,000. However, despite its hefty price tag, the device is rumored to be powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 found in the Quest 2. While that might be the case, there are some technologies in the upcoming unit that will provide a new kind of VR experience. For example, a headset will likely feature eye and face tracking, bringing experiences to life. This is a huge problem considering that most consumer headphones do not currently offer this type of technology. The new VR headset from Meta is expected to arrive sometime in October.


source: Qualcomm

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