Qualcomm unveiled the reference headset Snapdragon VR820 during IFA 2016. The company wants to offer its expertise in the mobile hardware platform, which will cut the cost of R&D for third-party device manufacturers. However, this is a long-term plan.

The mobile processor company has shown a blueprint VR headset design that contains their very own Snapdragon 820 smartphone processor. The company will not market and sell the VR headgear; other manufacturers will. They will only provide the plan using their hardware.

On paper, the Snapdragon VR820 contains, aside from its powerful processor, a 1440 x 1440 AMOLED display screen with a refresh rate of 70 Hz per eye. The headset also contains eye-tracking cameras, six-axis motion tracking sensors and two forward-facing cameras. The display screen is a big jump from what is currently offered by the Oculus Rift and HTC VIVE, 1080 x 1200 display resolution.

Audio technology will also be provided by the company, with its Qualcomm Aqstic, which offers 3D surround sound. It will also come with four microphones that features Fluence HD noise filtering.

Anthony Murray, senior vice president and general manager, IoT, of Qualcomm, said, "Consumers everywhere are captivated by truly immersive VR experiences, and Qualcomm Technologies' capabilities in graphics, displays, video, audio, computer vision and sensor technologies, as well as power and thermal efficiencies proven over years of smartphone innovation, uniquely positions us to help customers bring these experiences to life,"

Murray added, "The Snapdragon VR820 integrates key technologies and features for an exceptional VR experience and provides a springboard for OEMs and developers to usher in the next generation of truly portable and untethered devices that we think are necessary for mass consumer adoption of VR."

The Snapdragon VR820 working units will be available before the end of the year, and commercial models based on the platform will be available soon after. Ars Technica estimated the VR headgear to be priced similar to a high-end tablet, which is around US$300 to US$400.