What does the future of work look like? It will not just be about smartphones or laptops. Smart glasses are set to transport workers into augmented reality environments. That’s the direction technology is headed, a trend that was highlighted during Snapdragon for India — XR Day, which was recently held in Delhi.
Qualcomm is at the forefront of emerging technology. The company has long diversified from focusing primarily on chips for mobile phones to those used in AI-enabled manufacturing machines, battery-efficient laptops and smart glasses.
“The real advantage is that we have been innovating in compute, power, and communication. These are areas Qualcomm is good at. If you want compute using less power, or want to have more AI on these devices… LLMs are getting smaller and stronger but need a certain amount of compute… I think we have been learning a lot in the last few years. Every year, during strategy planning, we talk about where the industry is going,” said Savi Soin, senior vice-president and president, Qualcomm India, when we sat down for an interview after the conference.
Qualcomm Technologies is powering smart glasses being developed by partners like Lenskart, with Snapdragon chipsets.
With smart glasses being thrown into the gadget mix, we are looking at a more flexible workplace, especially when you consider the changes that have been fueled by 5G technology. In the past, high-performance connectivity was an issue. No longer.
Savi Soin, senior vice-president and president, Qualcomm India. Alex Katouzian, group general manager, mobile, compute and XR (MCX), Qualcomm Technologies
During the day-long convention, Peyush Bansal, CEO of Lenskart, was also present. “Glasses sit in a very sensitive place on the body — on your face. So, the weight (of the device), looks and vision matter. How do we make them reach beyond just content creators and influencers? Then there is the question of how we can make them affordable. It will depend on volume and the longer-term journey of smart glasses,” Bansal said.
Many opportunities
The Qualcomm India chief recently understood the power of smart glasses when he had to attend a dinner in Gurgaon. He had to take a ride on a Rapido bike, something he had not done earlier.
“I was trying to figure out the last time I sat on the back of a scooter. It was probably with my father some 30 years ago. I was trying not to fall off the scooter. Coming to the point, my wife kept calling me to see whether I had reached or not but I wasn’t wearing smart glasses. My phone was in my pocket. Though I wanted to talk to someone, let them know that I was all right, I couldn’t. Audio use cases (on smart glasses) are important,” said Soin.
He also believes fitness can be an important area. Imagine this: During a holiday, you look at a few fitness equipment through the smart glasses, and then AI-driven technology informs you of some of the ways you can maximise the output of what is before you.
“Fitness is not just about exercising but also involves eating and sleeping habits. If you have a dietician, you can always offer feedback over WhatsApp about what you have consumed. There are also a lot of applications for fitness,” said Soin.
Being a history enthusiast, he is kicked about one use case of the smart glass. “You can put yourself in certain environments and understand the subject better. For example, how did the Mughals arrive in India, and where did they come from? When you understand something, you will learn better. If you can be in the moment and understand why certain things happened, you will have a better appreciation of history. I am very excited about smart glasses. In India, it’s going to be an exciting time. There are OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) that are doing opticals, and even car companies want to be in on it. The sky’s the limit.”
He also spoke about skilling people as more members of Gen Z join the workforce (“industries are getting transformed”).
Education is an important area that may see a lot of changes because of smart glasses. “At the moment, we have to figure out how to show teachers the value these devices bring. Lesson planning can change. Or take the case of learning algebra easily. It’s about getting inputs from teachers and making customised solutions. They know how learning is evolving and what needs to be done to enhance it.”
Familiar form factor
Recently, Ray-Ban Meta Glasses arrived in India. It is a milestone moment for the device category because this is the country where Meta has a substantial base, and youngsters have the income to try new gadgets. At the heart of the glasses is the Snapdragon AR1
Gen 1 chip, which helps users to share moments or take advantage of AI tools.
Peyush Bansal, CEO, Lenskart. Picture: Mathures Paul
“You have a smartwatch and smart earbuds. They are kind of working together. The extension of a smart device can easily be a pair of glasses. It’s a very familiar form factor. People wear watches all the time, and people wear glasses all the time. The smartwatch not just tells time, but also what’s happening inside your body. AI breathes life into these devices. The multiple device scenario is the right time. The use cases are coming together. If you look at use cases, there is gaming, entertainment, fitness, collaboration and others. This is just the tip of the iceberg. And 5G connectivity to the Cloud is helping,” said Alex Katouzian, group general manager, mobile compute and XR (MCX), Qualcomm Technologies.
Later, Soin places more use cases on the table: “Agriculture is another important area; we can look at crop health. It’s a platform that will keep getting better.”
The company is working with multiple partners. “We want to partner with companies that are innovating, be it on the software or AI side of things. We want to partner with companies that understand that this is a lifestyle product. We bring tech and innovation, and if somebody can take those elements to create unique use cases, we are very ideal partners for them.”
He is well aware of the importance of generative AI going forward. “We are just getting started. Our brains are a part of Gen AI. We can get a lot out of technology. We are very excited and will continue to invest.”
At the same time, Qualcomm is closely listening to developers. “Developers look for a roadmap, and that’s what we are giving. They can bring their innovations to not just one device, but to multiple devices — maybe the glasses, the phone, the PC, the two-wheeler or four-wheeler, TVs and so on. With a roadmap, their lives will become easier,” said Soin.
He also said that OEMs are “doing a good job” when it comes to addressing the issue of privacy. “You don’t want to record or capture somebody without their knowledge. We are working on use cases and enabling certain things. The good news is that all of the data remains on the device.”
Does he use smart glasses? “I use smart glasses when I go on walks. We have this heritage walk with a few friends. It’s a good use case to capture moments with my friends. Recording moments of sunlight hitting a tomb in a certain way can be memorable for some people. There are so many use cases.”
He added: “We look at certain things and are curious about them. At the moment, we pick up a phone and then try to understand what we are looking at. Smart glasses can change that. Think of seeing a QR code through smart glasses, and consider the opportunity.”
So where does the smartphone go from here? Will it lose its relevance? “I think with agentic AI, a lot of innovation is happening on phones. We are excited about it. It’s not about one replacing the other; it’s about augmenting experiences. You don’t need to take out a phone all the time. It can be with you, but you don’t have to use it to capture a moment. Smart glasses can be important when paired with a phone.”
Mathures Paul