Apple might believe that AR glasses might be too elusive at this time as the technology has not matured, but Meta is not waiting for future advancements to produce its own version of smart spectacles, which is why it has reportedly started development of custom chipsets for this category. However, instead of relying on Qualcomm’s SoCs, the company has partnered with MediaTek, with the two firms collaborating on developing an in-house solution that will be found in the next AR glasses model.

Meta requires chips that are not just designed for high performance, but are also power efficient and focused on lower latency

Previously, MediaTek only targeted the entry-level and mid-range market, but ever since the introduction of the Dimensity 9000 series, with its current flagship silicon being the Dimensity 9300, Meta likely realized the potential of teaming up with the Taiwanese fabless chip maker. According to Android Central, at the MediaTek Summit 2023 in Laguna Beach, California, MediaTek VP Vincent Hu and Meta Reality Labs VP Jean Boufarhat announced the partnership.

Also, the custom solution MediaTek and Meta created for those future AR glasses will not be offered to any other company, signaling an exclusive agreement between the two companies. Both have also stressed that a brand new chipset needs to be developed that not only delivers increased performance but also consumes less power, focuses on lower latency, and is compact to the point where it can fit inside a pair of AR glasses.

For next year, MediaTek is rumored to take advantage of TSMC’s 3nm ‘N3E’ process to mass produce the Dimensity 9400, so it is unconfirmed if the same technology will be used to fabricate this unnamed custom SoC. The biggest hurdle that needs to be overcome is the power draw, with an earlier report stating that Apple allocated fewer resources to the AR glasses development because it requires chips that consume 10 percent of the powerof current-generation A-series silicon to prevent overheating and be just as capable in raw performance.

Naturally, technology has not progressed to a stage in which you have exceptionally efficient chipsets for AR glasses, so it is possible we might see a product launch materialize in a few years. It also looks like Meta will not partner with Qualcomm for future AR-related SoCs, and this alliance may have halted as sticking with the San Diego firm is an expensive endeavor. With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 rumored to be more expensive than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Meta may not be doing itself any favors by continuing this alliance partnership and, instead, decided to take another path with MediaTek.

News Source: Android Central