In a major announcement, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon confirmed that the company is working with tech giants Google and Samsung to develop mixed-reality smart glasses, marking a significant leap forward in the emerging extended reality (XR) space. The partnership, first hinted at last year, has finally revealed more concrete details about what could be a game-changing product in a market that has struggled to take off.

In an exclusive interview with CNBC, Amon described the collaboration as one focused on creating “new products and new experiences” that will push mixed-reality technology beyond the bulky headsets currently available. “What I really expect to come out of this partnership is that I want everyone who has a phone to go buy companion glasses to go along with it,” Amon said. The vision is clear: to make mixed-reality technology as ubiquitous and effortless as wearing a pair of sunglasses.

A Game-Changing Product for XR

Unlike Apple’s Vision Pro, which has garnered attention but struggled with its bulky design and high price point, Qualcomm and its partners are aiming to develop a more user-friendly alternative. “We’re incredibly pleased with the success of the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses,” Amon shared, referencing a product that Qualcomm also powers. He added that the new glasses would similarly be lightweight and sleek, directly connected to smartphones, making them easier to adopt for the average consumer.

The emphasis on portability and design was echoed by Lance Ulanoff, editor-at-large for TechRadar, who noted, “The problem with many XR headsets is their size and weight. Apple’s Vision Pro is incredible but far from what consumers are looking for in their everyday lives. Qualcomm, Google, and Samsung seem to be addressing that with a more approachable product in the form of smart glasses.”

Amon explained that by leveraging AI technology, these glasses will not only be functional but interactive in ways that previous XR devices couldn’t achieve. “AI is going to run on the device. It’s going to run in the cloud. It’s going to run some in the glass, some in the phone, but at the end of the day, there’s going to be whole new experiences,” Amon said. This decentralized approach to AI processing should help lighten the hardware load while still offering cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences.

Competing with Apple in a Rapidly Growing Market

The mixed-reality market is expected to grow rapidly, with tech giants vying for dominance. Apple made headlines with its Vision Pro headset, but many experts believe that its high price point and cumbersome design could hinder widespread adoption. In contrast, Qualcomm’s strategy with Samsung and Google is to create a more accessible product that can appeal to a wider audience by integrating it into existing smartphone ecosystems.

“Samsung’s role here is crucial,” said Ulanoff. “They’ve got the hardware expertise, and with Qualcomm handling the chipsets and Google providing the software, this could be the trio that finally cracks the code on XR adoption.”

"We've been hearing about this partnership, forever it seems," TechRadar editor at large @LanceUlanoff says on Qualcomm-Google mixed reality glasses, adding: AI "is a good way of getting people interested in this product." pic.twitter.com/M1fztPSJlr

— Yahoo Finance (@YahooFinance) September 5, 2024

While Apple and Meta are targeting the high-end market with devices like the Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3, Qualcomm, Google, and Samsung are betting on a product that seamlessly integrates into everyday life. “We need to get to the point where wearing smart glasses feels no different than wearing regular glasses,” Amon emphasized. The partnership is focused on creating a device that is not only powerful but comfortable and stylish enough for consumers to wear regularly, solving a key issue that has plagued previous XR devices.

The Role of AI and 5G in Mixed Reality

A key differentiator for Qualcomm’s approach is the integration of AI directly into the device, as well as in the cloud, with 5G playing a critical role in this ecosystem. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 chip is designed specifically for smart glasses, enabling AI-driven tasks to be processed locally, while other computationally heavy processes can be offloaded to the cloud via 5G networks.

“AI was the ingredient that was missing,” Amon remarked. “Now, with AI and 5G, we can provide real-time augmented experiences that weren’t possible before.” This technological leap could help push mixed-reality glasses into the mainstream, providing users with experiences like real-time translations, object recognition, and even immersive AR-enhanced navigation.

The power of AI in these smart glasses is not just about advanced features, but also about simplifying how users interact with the technology. “Generative AI changes the way we interact with these devices,” Ulanoff said. “It’s no longer just about overlaying information on what you see—it’s about interacting with the world in real-time in a more intuitive way.” Instead of relying on hand gestures or smartphone controls, users can interact with their environment using voice commands and AI-assisted tasks.

A Product Set for 2025 Launch

While there’s no official release date, industry insiders suggest that the smart glasses could launch commercially as early as 2025. TM Roh, head of Samsung’s mobile division, hinted during the Galaxy Unpacked event that the new XR platform could be unveiled as soon as late 2024. However, leaks suggest that the first public iteration may only be a developer version, with a consumer release likely in early 2025.

According to Amon, the ultimate goal of the collaboration is to achieve scale. “We’re trying to create something that isn’t niche,” he said. “We want this to be a product that millions of people use daily.” This focus on widespread adoption could give Qualcomm, Google, and Samsung an edge over competitors like Apple, whose products remain relatively niche due to their high cost and specialized use cases.

Meta’s Role in the Growing Market

Qualcomm’s partnership with Meta on the Ray-Ban smart glasses has already given the company valuable experience in the smart glasses market. These glasses, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR chip, are an early example of how lightweight, AI-powered devices can be adopted by consumers. “We’re incredibly proud of the work we’ve done with Meta,” Amon said. “It’s proven that there’s a real market for these types of products.”

Meta, too, is preparing to launch its next-generation smart glasses, potentially setting up a head-to-head battle between the two tech powerhouses. Meta’s new smart glasses will reportedly include a viewfinder display and neural interface wristbands that allow for subtle hand gestures, expanding on the use cases for AR glasses. Meta’s approach contrasts with Qualcomm’s, which is more focused on integrating smart glasses into the everyday smartphone experience.

The Future of Mixed Reality

The partnership between Qualcomm, Google, and Samsung will potentially redefine the mixed-reality market, making smart glasses a mainstream product. By focusing on portability, style, and seamless AI integration, the companies hope to avoid the pitfalls that have hampered previous XR devices. “This is about more than just technology,” Amon said. “It’s about creating a product that fits into people’s lives.”

With a potential 2025 launch and intensifying competition between Apple, Meta, and now Qualcomm, the race to define the future of mixed reality is heating up. As Ulanoff aptly summed it up, “This is the moment we’ve been waiting for—when mixed reality finally moves from niche to necessity.”