---
markdown_generated_at: "2026-10-14"
title: "We’re creating the mobile future of augmented reality."
url: "https://www.qualcomm.com/research/extended-reality/augmented-reality"
description: "Learn about Qualcomm's research into augmented reality and how Qualcomm is developing new technology to deliver better connectivity and immersion to future AR experiences. Includes presentations and webinars."
canonicalUrl: "https://www.qualcomm.com/research/extended-reality/augmented-reality"
---

# We’re creating the mobile future of augmented reality.

![](https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/dmqualcommprod/ar-01-1col-hero-ar-badge-blue?$QC_Responsive$&fmt=png-alpha&wid=700)

Augmented reality (AR) seamlessly merges the real world with virtual objects to support realistic, intelligent, and personalized experiences. Making this possible requires the next level of immersion, artificial intelligence (AI), and connectivity within the thermal and power envelope of wearable glasses. Qualcomm already enables superior AR experiences today, and is working closely with the ecosystem to deliver on our vision of mobile AR.

[Download the AR presentation](https://www.qualcomm.com/content/dam/qcomm-martech/dm-assets/documents/presentation_-_augmented_reality_vision.pdf)

## Meet the next mobile computing platform.

As the natural evolution from how we use smartphones today, AR is the next step toward more mobile, personalized, and intuitive devices. Imagine the potential of an augmented world where you automatically see and hear contextually important content through AR glasses that are always on, always available, and hands free. The possibilities are endless with AR.

[Learn more about our AR vision](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2016/12/augmented-reality-and-mobile-technologies-are-leading-way)

## Transforming the way we live.

AR will offer unprecedented experiences, changing how we play, explore, communicate, work, and thrive. It will fill a broad spectrum of roles in daily life, from children playing with virtual characters to professionals collaborating on a shared design.

## Revolutionizing industries and enterprises

AR will also revolutionize industries and enterprises, offering increased productivity, efficiency, and safety. For example, AR will provide manufacturers with real-time factory diagnostics, and offer healthcare providers surgical training and enhanced visualization.

## Mobile technologies are accelerating AR adoption.

AR is here today due to the same mobile technologies that power our smartphones. The mobile industry drives continuous technology advancement in multimedia and AI, display and sensor technologies, connectivity, and power and thermal efficiency. The characteristics of the mobile industry—specifically scale, rapid design cycles, and mass adoption—is accelerating AR adoption.

![](https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/dmqualcommprod/ar-04-2col-2third-mobile-technologies-are-accelerating?$QC_Responsive$&fmt=png-alpha)

## AR has extreme requirements.

Premium mobile AR experiences require the next level of immersion, AI, and connectivity to create truly realistic, intuitive, and personalized experiences. Plus, consumers want all that in sleek, lightweight, and stylish AR glasses that are always on and work anywhere, which requires extremely efficient processing.

![](https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/dmqualcommprod/ar-05a-fb1-immersion_0?$QC_Responsive$&fmt=png-alpha)

#### Immersion

Virtual reality (VR) technologies are the foundation for creating truly immersive AR experiences. For immersion, AR introduces additional requirements to seamlessly integrate virtual objects with the real world, such as realistic lighting and reverberated sound.

[Learn more about immersive VR](https://www.qualcomm.com/content/dam/qcomm-martech/dm-assets/documents/whitepaper-makingimmersivevirtualrealitypossibleinmobile.pdf)

![](https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/dmqualcommprod/ar-05b-fb1-ai_0?$QC_Responsive$&fmt=png-alpha)

#### AI

AI, such as computer vision and deep learning, is required to support realistic, intuitive, and personalized AR experiences. AR glasses need to understand the real world, learn our preferences, and take appropriate actions while also providing security and privacy.

[Learn more about AI](https://www.qualcomm.com/research/artificial-intelligence)

![](https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/dmqualcommprod/ar-05c-fb1-connectivity?$QC_Responsive$&fmt=png-alpha)

#### Connectivity

The mass adoption of highly mobile, intelligent, always-on AR glasses requires the next level of ubiquitous connectivity solutions that provide extreme capacity, connect everything, and enable cloud computing.

[Explore how AR and VR are pushing connectivity limits](https://www.qualcomm.com/content/dam/qcomm-martech/dm-assets/documents/presentation_-_vr_and_ar_are_pushing_connectivity_limits_-web_0.pdf)

## Qualcomm Technologies is making superior mobile AR a reality.

Building on our leadership in VR, AI, and connectivity, Qualcomm Technologies is uniquely positioned to deliver superior mobile AR at low power. We’re developing the foundational technology required for AR, such as immersive 3D graphics, computer vision, machine learning, intuitive security, and 5G technologies. The Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ XR1 Platform is engineered to provide an efficient heterogeneous computing solution that is optimized from end-to-end to make our vision of AR a reality sooner.

## The latest

- OnQ Blog: [Advancing 5G to power the Connected Intelligent Edge: Watch Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon’s keynote address at 5G Summit 2022 [video]](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2022/05/advancing-5g-power-connected-intelligent-edge-watch-qualcomm-ceo-cristiano-amons) — May 10, 2022 — Tags: [5G](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=5G), [Connectivity](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Connectivity), [Internet of Things](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Internet%20of%20Things)
- OnQ Blog: [Qualcomm FastConnect innovation delivers freedom of movement with all-wireless XR](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2022/04/qualcomm-fastconnect-innovation-delivers-freedom-movement-all-wireless-xr) — Apr 17, 2022 — Tags: [Snapdragon](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Snapdragon), [Networking](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Networking), [Wi-Fi](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Wi-Fi)
- OnQ Blog: [From smartphones to laptops to smart glasses — Snapdragon is at the center of seamless premium experiences](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2022/04/smartphones-laptops-smart-glasses-snapdragon-center-seamless-premium-experiences) — Apr 12, 2022 — Tags: [Snapdragon](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Snapdragon), [Smartphones](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Smartphones), [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [MWC 2022: Snapdragon Connect delivers the connected experiences your devices deserve [video]](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2022/02/mwc-2022-snapdragon-connect-delivers-connected-experiences-your-devices-deserve) — Feb 27, 2022 — Tags: [Snapdragon](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Snapdragon), [5G](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=5G), [Virtual Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Virtual%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [Meet Ananth Kandhadai, the Qualcomm inventor whose expertise in signal processing and computer vision is pioneering a new era of smart devices](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2022/02/meet-ananth-kandhadai-qualcomm-inventor-whose-expertise-signal-processing-and) — Feb 6, 2022 — Tags: [Computer Vision](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Computer%20Vision), [Research](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Research), [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [A Q&A with Qualcomm Technologies’ Hugo Swart on Snapdragon Spaces and the future of AR](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2022/01/qa-qualcomm-technologies-hugo-swart-snapdragon-spaces-and-future-ar) — Jan 26, 2022 — Tags: [Snapdragon](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Snapdragon), [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality), [Developer](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Developer)
- OnQ Blog: [Resident Evil 4 out now on Quest 2 – powered by innovations from Snapdragon XR2 5G Platform](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2022/01/resident-evil-4-out-now-quest-2-powered-innovations-snapdragon-xr2-5g-platform) — Jan 11, 2022 — Tags: [Gaming](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Gaming), [Virtual Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Virtual%20Reality), [Snapdragon](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Snapdragon)
- OnQ Blog: [The Future of the Smartphone: Advanced AI, elite gaming, new form factors, and professional photographic capabilities [video]](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/12/future-smartphone-advanced-ai-elite-gaming-new-form-factors-and-professional) — Dec 15, 2021 — Tags: [Snapdragon](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Snapdragon), [AI](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=AI), [Gaming](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Gaming)
- OnQ Blog: [Setting off the 5G Advanced evolution](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/12/setting-5g-advanced-evolution) — Dec 9, 2021 — Tags: [5G](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=5G), [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality), [Virtual Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Virtual%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [How Snapdragon XR1-powers the Lenovo ThinkReality A3 smart glasses and moto g100 smartphone to deliver premium enterprise AR experiences](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/08/how-snapdragon-xr1-powers-lenovo-thinkreality-a3-smart-glasses-and-moto-g100) — Aug 15, 2021 — Tags: [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [Optimizing 5G for a new class of low-latency experiences [video]](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/07/optimizing-5g-new-class-low-latency-experiences) — Jul 19, 2021 — Tags: [5G](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=5G), [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality), [Virtual Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Virtual%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [Developers: The evolution of high performance foveated rendering on Adreno](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/07/evolution-high-performance-foveated-rendering-adreno) — Jul 7, 2021 — Tags: [Developer](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Developer), [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality), [Snapdragon](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Snapdragon)
- OnQ Blog: [Demonstrating advanced 5G innovations [video]](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/06/demonstrating-advanced-5g-innovations) — Jun 26, 2021 — Tags: [5G](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=5G), [Cellular-V2X](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Cellular-V2X), [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [Developers: The psychology and benefits of gamifying apps](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/06/psychology-and-benefits-gamifying-apps) — Jun 15, 2021 — Tags: [Developer](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Developer), [AI](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=AI), [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [Developers: Creating a new reality with spatial computing](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/05/creating-new-reality-spatial-computing) — May 23, 2021 — Tags: [5G](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=5G), [AI](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=AI), [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [Developers: Riding the wave of 5G, a millimeter at a time](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/05/riding-wave-5g-millimeter-time) — May 3, 2021 — Tags: [Developer](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Developer), [5G](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=5G), [4G LTE](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=4G%20LTE)
- OnQ Blog: [Qualcomm and VictoryXR collaborate on game-changing VR education program](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/04/qualcomm-and-victoryxr-collaborate-game-changing-vr-education-program) — Apr 28, 2021 — Tags: [Virtual Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Virtual%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [How Qualcomm is building the future of XR: A conversation with Hugo Swart](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/02/how-qualcomm-building-future-xr-conversation-hugo-swart) — Feb 24, 2021 — Tags: [Virtual Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Virtual%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [Advancing 5G for the new decade [video]](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/02/advancing-5g-new-decade) — Feb 21, 2021 — Tags: [5G](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=5G), [Research](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Research), [Virtual Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Virtual%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [Improving VR performance using motion estimation OpenGL Extensions](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/02/improving-vr-performance-using-motion-estimation-opengl-extensions) — Feb 15, 2021 — Tags: [Developer](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Developer), [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality), [Virtual Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Virtual%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [XR Viewers – a new level of development opportunities](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2021/01/xr-viewers-new-level-development-opportunities) — Jan 11, 2021 — Tags: [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality), [Virtual Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Virtual%20Reality), [Developer](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Developer)
- OnQ Blog: [OpenXR and an Introduction to the Khronos Group](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2020/11/openxr-and-introduction-khronos-group) — Nov 2, 2020 — Tags: [Virtual Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Virtual%20Reality), [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [Oculus Quest 2: How Snapdragon XR2 powers the next generation of VR](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2020/10/oculus-quest-2-how-snapdragon-xr2-powers-next-generation-vr) — Oct 28, 2020 — Tags: [Virtual Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Virtual%20Reality), [Gaming](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Gaming)
- OnQ Blog: [Developers: Optimized XR tools and hardware highlighted at Facebook Connect](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2020/09/optimized-xr-tools-and-hardware-highlighted-facebook-connect) — Sep 22, 2020 — Tags: [Virtual Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Virtual%20Reality), [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality)
- OnQ Blog: [Looking for rapid development in AR? Take a page from Youbiquo’s book.](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq/2020/08/looking-rapid-development-ar-take-page-youbiquos-book) — Aug 17, 2020 — Tags: [Developer](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Developer), [Augmented Reality](https://www.qualcomm.com/news/onq?tags=Augmented%20Reality)

## Documents

- VR and AR Pushing Connectivity Limits — Download (PDF) — Mar 29, 2017
- VR is meant to be mobile: Qualcomm Snapdragon VR Technologies — Download (PDF) — Feb 25, 2017
- The Mobile Future of Augmented Reality — Download (PDF) — Dec 16, 2016
- Augmented and Virtual Reality: The First Wave of 5G Killer Apps — Download (PDF) — Jan 20, 2017

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