Snap Chooses Qualcomm for Upcoming AR Glasses Development

Snap is gearing up to release its consumer AR glasses later this year, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR chip, following a newly announced multi-year strategic partnership between the two companies.

Snap has been in the smart glasses game for a decade, debuting its first camera-equipped Spectacles in 2016. However, the latest iterations, which feature augmented reality capabilities to overlay digital content onto the real world, have not been available to the general public. This upcoming consumer version will continue the collaboration between Snap and Qualcomm, as Snapdragon chips have already fueled several previous generations of Spectacles.

In a joint statement, both companies highlighted their commitment to rapidly enhance the Specs platform with industry-leading features, including on-device AI, advanced graphics, and innovative multiuser digital experiences.

Earlier this year, Snap restructured its smart glasses team into a standalone company and reaffirmed its goal to launch the consumer Specs by 2026. Meanwhile, Meta is also developing AR glasses, aiming for a consumer release in 2027. Other tech giants like Google and Samsung are collaborating on their own AR glasses, while Apple is reportedly in the process of creating a similar product.