When it all started, computers were limited to simple calculations, with results that were shown as outputs on small screens that can only produce one color.
Fast forward, computers can process gigabytes-worth of information, every single second. Screens to show the outputs, have grown so large, and also so small but without sacrificing their millions of color display.
At any given time in history, there has never been a time where computer tech degraded. All the time, it advances to a whole new level, to a new capacity, up to a different degree, promising even more things that weren't previously possible.
And when human–computer interaction has become even less distinctive, the next obvious thing, is certainly to "blend" the real world and the digital world.
To some companies, they call this new world the "metaverse."
Since Facebook rebranded to Meta as it starts pursuing its bold vision in the so-called metaverse, the tech sphere seems to keep talking about it.
And when Meta introduced Horizon Worlds as its first foray into this metaverse business, the future is certainly powered by AR and VR.
To embrace that future, Qualcomm is partnering with Microsoft to create custom chips that would control augmented reality glasses for use by both consumers and businesses for future metaverse apps.
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022 in Las Vegas, Qualcomm's President and CEO Cristiano Amon said that the two companies are working together to the custom chips, as well as the software developers need to create virtual worlds in which people can work and play.
He said that Qualcomm is working with Microsoft's software product called Mesh to allow users to create realistic likeness of themselves into the headset of another user, in order to create the experience as if the two people are in the same place, despite halfway across the world apart.
For its part, Qualcomm also wants its future AR/VR glasses to be powered by Snapdragon Spaces that helps perform basic augmented reality functions, like mapping out physical spaces so that digital objects can be overlaid on them and hand-tracking so that users can manipulate those digital objects with hand gestures.
"We've been talking for years about the possibility of having wearable augmented reality devices that will gain scale," continued Amon, in his live-streamed talk on stage in Las Vegas.
"This collaboration reflects the next step in both companies’ shared commitment to XR and the metaverse," added Qualcomm Vice President Hugo Swart.
"Qualcomm Technologies’ core XR strategy has always been delivering the most cutting-edge technology, purpose-built chipsets [for the Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform] and enabling the ecosystem with our software platforms and hardware reference designs. We are thrilled to work with Microsoft to help expand and scale the adoption of AR hardware and software across the entire industry."
Read: 2021 Augmented World Expo: Chipmaker Qualcomm Aims To Help Build 'The Metaverse'
"Our goal is to inspire and empower others to collectively work to develop the metaverse future – a future that is grounded in trust and innovation," Rubén Caballero, Corporate Vice President for Mixed Reality at Microsoft, said in a statement.
"With services like Microsoft Mesh, we are committed to delivering the safest and most comprehensive set of capabilities to power metaverses that blend the physical and digital worlds, ultimately delivering a shared sense of presence across devices. We look forward to working with Qualcomm Technologies to help the entire ecosystem unlock the promise of the metaverse."
When people start to flock into the metaverse, the demand for the headsets should increase.
And here, both Qualcomm and Microsoft are expecting to profit when that trend happens.
The chips made by the two are purposefully designed to help make AR/VR glasses lighter and more power-efficient. And the Microsoft Mesh and Qualcomm Spaces are meant to be interoperable, helping to cohesively build metaverse software technologies.
Previously. Qualcomm has partnered with Microsoft by embedding its Snapdragon 850 chip to power Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 headsets from 2019.
Qualcomm has also established itself as an early leader in the growing XR space by leveraging its expertise in smartphone chip design to create the Snapdragon XR1 and XR2 chips, which are already in many of the leading standalone XR devices.