Snap is sticking with Qualcomm for its next AR glasses

Snap is solidifying its AR glasses strategy by committing to a multi-year partnership with Qualcomm, which will power its consumer Specs launching in 2026 with advanced on-device AI and graphics capabilities. This strategic alignment demonstrates the maturation of AR as a mainstream computing platform and signals intensifying competition from Meta, Apple, Google, and Samsung, requiring IT organizations to prepare infrastructure and security frameworks for emerging AR/XR ecosystems. For CIOs, this validates AR as a near-term enterprise consideration rather than distant future technology, with implications for device management, network requirements, and application architecture planning.

The VergeApril 10, 20262 min read

Snap's upcoming consumer AR glasses are still set to launch sometime this year, and they'll be powered by a Snapdragon XR chip from Qualcomm, according to an announcement of a "multi-year strategic agreement" between the companies. Snap has been working on smart glasses for a decade, with the first model of its camera-equipped Spectacles glasses launching in 2016. But the past couple generations, which have been AR glasses capable of layering digital experiences over the real world, haven't been available to general consumers. The consumer Specs won't be the first time Qualcomm and Snap have worked together, as Snapdragon chips have powered … Read the full story at The Verge.