5G chip promises immersive experience on a smartphone

Qualcomm is bringing immersive reality to your phone

Spotted: Qualcomm’s new 5G phone chips promise better Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) immersion – and better headsets to enjoy it. The tiny 5G phone chips, known as the Snapdragon 855, are more powerful than the 4G chips we currently have in our smartphones. The chips can process VR and AR in real-time — in other words, a fully immersive experience Qualcomm says.

To enjoy the experience, you need a VR/AR headset. These headsets exist, but have struggled to find the right market. Successful models, like HoloLens, focus on business. Entertainment and gaming-driven models tend to be clunky and pricey.

With Snapdragon 855 and its full immersive (XR) experience, Qualcomm is trying to change that. The company is working with several VR/AR headset producers, including Acer, nreal and Pico, to enable XR glasses. The glasses will connect to the phone by USB-C, like iPhone earbuds.

Two compatible headsets are already on the market, the Acer OJO and the Nreal Light mixed reality glasses. Qualcomm plans to launch a certification programme to help market “XR ready” glasses.