The Future of XR (AR/VR/MR)

The next generation of connectivity is poised to enhance the way we interact with the current crop of devices. XR (VR/AR/MR) is one such technology that will benefit from the introduction of 5G and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The present generation of XR devices require either a smartphone or a powerful PC to deliver the experience. This experience sometimes is limited as the smartphone alone is not powerful enough to deliver a true immersive experience and connecting with a PC requires it to be tethered with a wire, sometimes creating a barrier for the immersive experience.

New Technology

At the 4G/5G Summit 2018, Qualcomm showcased a concept XR technology that it has dubbed “Boundless XR”, a photorealistic mobile XR over 5G. A 5G capable XR device with a powerful processor and augmented by edge cloud computing.

Exhibit: XR Device with 5G connectivity and augmented edge cloud infrastructure.

Source: Qualcomm 4G/5G Summit Presentations

• A powerful processor will enable the XR device to have on-board processing capabilities, eliminate the need for it to be tethered to a computer.
• Connectivity over 5G will provide a reliable and low latency link to the cloud infrastructure delivering high quality content to the device.
• A third significant feature in the XR ecosystem will be deployment of edge cloud for faster computing. The edge cloud also improves the overall network efficiency and improves the availability of content to users as and when they need it.

High speed connectivity and processing power together will be able to deliver the XR experience that will deliver better and immersive content, further overcoming the limitation of the present XR devices.

New Opportunities

This creates an opportunity for new players to enter the XR ecosystem, especially the network operators that missed out on the cable TV revolution. For starters the content will be delivered over the 5G network and will require a reliable connection from a network provider. In addition, network operators can monetize their investment in 5G by providing the edge cloud infrastructure that will host content. It will also allow the device to have better rendering by splitting complex computation between the servers and the XR device itself. Faster and robust connectivity will further content providers like NextVR delivering live entertainment and online gaming companies to engage the user with-in the ecosystem. 

However, this technology is still in its nascent stage and will only mature once there is a robust 5G infrastructure in place and considerable investment in edge cloud computing.