Chip maker Qualcomm introduced a new reference design for its augmented glasses: an AR ” smart viewer” where you can tether to a PC or phone via USB-C.
It’s called the XR1 Smart viewer, the system is meant to look like sunglasses and be lightweight. The first glasses based on its design are set to be released in mid-2021.
The XR1 is designed as a consumer-focused “must-have accessory” for phones and computers, rather than a self-contained product.. Like most AR glasses, however, they have a relatively limited field of view of 45 degrees, which is roughly similar to the Microsoft HoloLens 2.
Qualcomm spent the last years for the adoption of AR glasses, which it thinks could stimulate the nascent 5G cellular market through popularising high-bandwidth mixed-reality apps.
Qualcomm’s AR “Smart Viewer” lets you pin virtual screens to your walls
