Meta and Qualcomm have recently joined forces to develop chips for the Metaverse. The agreement they signed now empowers them to hire the XR technology that was Qualcomm's prerogative all this time to enhance Meta's existing virtual reality tech.
Meta's focus has been on the software aspects of the Metaverse. However, it is about time that Meta expanded their base and spread out into the VR hardware that is ancillary to the Metaverse.
And to do that, Meta has partnered with Qualcomm to integrate their XR technology into the silicon they design for use in their virtual reality headsets, which will primarily hold up the entire concept of interacting with the Metaverse.
Cristiano Amon, CEO of Qualcomm, seems quite optimistic about what this partnership can mean. He believes this collaboration is just the perfect formula to deliver "best-in-class devices and experiences" to make the Metaverse more accessible and utilizable.
This collaboration was announced to the press without mentioning any numbers or figures and, on the contrary, promised an increased dedication toward the collaborative effort to improve the Metaverse's virtual reality.
It is not like Qualcomm officials are the only ones who seem excited about this new partnership. Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, also emphasized why the idea of virtual reality, or headsets and hardware that go along with it, are essential to the Metaverse. Not only does he intend to build futuristic headsets to go along with the onward march of the Metaverse, but he also hopes for the overall development of the Metaverse itself.
The Qualcomm XR chips that currently go into the Meta Quest 2 headsets were from way back in 2019, and it would be a bit of a stretch to assume that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chips from so long ago would suddenly deliver per the developments and progresses made in terms of the Metaverse.
The partnership and the subsequently given silicon hardware take center stage. The XR technology will go a long way in ensuring that the ancillary hardware adequately supports the Metaverse VR.
After all, these are vastly different in build and function from the chips that go into the regular mobile task or the like.
Qualcomm's $100 million investment set aside for the development of the Metaverse and in the development of virtual reality back in March has proven its commitment to developing the Metaverse.
Moreover, Qualcomm CEO Amon considers the Metaverse a massive opportunity for the company's growth and a giant leap in the world of technology and virtual reality.