Snapdragon-Powered AR Smartglasses Are the Actual Deal

Qualcomm on Tuesday debuted its groundbreaking Snapdragon 835 gadget on a chip at CES.

Following the 835 release, the corporate joined Osterhout Design Staff in unveiling two new ODG augmented truth headsets, the R-8 and R-9, which can be the primary Snapdragon 835-powered gadgets to be introduced.

The Snapdragon SoC is the primary chip constructed the usage of the ultra-advanced 10nm FinFET procedure node, mentioned Qualcomm spokesperson Liz Sweeney.

The Snapdragon 835 is 35 p.c smaller and consumes 25 p.c much less energy than its predecessors, which “equates to longer battery lifestyles and thinner designs,” she instructed TechNewsWorld.

The SoC is “designed for progressed AR/VR features, state of the art digicam features, and permits biometric safety features,” Sweeney famous.

A Recreation Changer

The Snapdragon 835 opens the door to an entire new attached long term. Qualcomm has teamed up with Ericsson and AT&T to force common adoption of 5G.

“We’re actively running with business leaders all over the world to check 5G and 5G NR applied sciences,” Sweeney mentioned.

The Snapdragon 835 has an built-in Qualcomm X16 gigabit LTE modem, and “it’s imaginable for a premium-tier 800 sequence Snapdragon processor with built-in gigabit LTE modem for use in 5G cellular gadgets,” she defined.

The Snapdragon 835 “represents a metamorphosis in technique for Qualcomm,” mentioned Jim McGregor, a fundamental analyst at Tirias Analysis.

It’s “the primary technology of chipsets as a result of a brand new collaboration with ARM,” he instructed TechNewsWorld.

The Kyro processor used within the 835 employs ARM cores optimized for Qualcomm reasonably than Qualcomm processor cores, which “will release sources to optimize long term Qualcomm-designed processors for different processors for different packages,” McGregor defined.


“That’s a recreation changer,” he mentioned.

ODG’s AR/VR Headsets

To expand AR-enabled cellular computing and leisure packages for the R-8 and R-9 smartglasses, ODG has teamed with twenty first Century Fox, which may be an investor; cloud rendering corporate OTOY; and PTC, which supplies the Vuforia AR platform.

The R-8 and R-9 “are self-contained totally loaded computer systems,” mentioned Nima Shams, VP of headworn at ODG.

ODG R9 Smartglasses

ODG R9 Smartglasses

“They are able to do anything else your pill or computer can do, with further AR and VR overlays to give virtual knowledge as a unbroken a part of your genuine global,” he instructed TechNewsWorld.

ODG is “pioneering the next-generation cellular computing platform, revolutionizing how we paintings, be in contact and eat content material,” Shams mentioned. “Telephones are achieving saturation, shape elements are getting smaller, and persons are searching for extra out in their cellular gadgets.”

For many who may elevate a skeptical eye over the AR/VR demos, they’re precise representations of the generation’s features, reasonably than video particular results, in step with Shams.

Soar lately got here below hearth when information surfaced that the spectacular trailer on its website in truth was once a distinct results video and no longer a demo of its AR generation, as many had assumed.

“Our demos are genuine,” Shams mentioned. “We’re on our 9th technology product … . We’ve been delivery to army and undertaking shoppers since 2011. We now have a groovy racing recreation demo that presentations AR, VR and combined truth.”

The R-8 might be usually to be had in the second one part of this 12 months for lower than US$1,000, and the R-9 might be to be had in the second one quarter for $1,800.


The associated fee level “continues to be too prime for mainstream adoption, however this can be a genuine bounce ahead in shopper and commercial AR glasses,” mentioned Kevin Krewell, a fundamental analyst at Tirias Analysis

They’re “state of the art glasses and are nonetheless less expensive than Microsoft HoloLens,” he instructed TechNewsWorld.

The glasses “are very at ease to put on” and the intense overlay shows “create virtually a VR revel in however handle peripheral imaginative and prescient,” Krewell mentioned.

Frost & Sullivan has predicted that “2017 would be the 12 months of AR,” famous Michael Jude, a program supervisor on the company, instructed TechNewsWorld. “ODG is pushing the tool house.”

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