---
title: "The Company Behind Pokémon Go Is Making AR Glasses"
description: "Niantic, the company behind Pokémon Go, announced that it partnered up with Qualcomm to develop new augmented reality (AR) glasses."
date: "2019-12-05"
modified: "2019-12-05"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/company-pokemon-go-making-ar-glasses"
categories:
  - "Future Society"
  - "Virtual Reality"
tags:
  - "augmented reality"
  - "pokemon"
  - "the digest"
  - "wearables"
---

# The Company Behind Pokémon Go Is Making AR Glasses

![Niantic, the company behind Pokémon Go, announced that it partnered up with Qualcomm to develop new augmented reality (AR) glasses.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/company-pokemon-go-making-ar-glasses.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Qualcomm\</em\>*

## Immersive Gaming

Niantic, the company that created augmented reality games including the [undying Pokémon Go](<https://futurism.com/smart-glass-company-ports-pokemon-go-to-ar-device>) and the much more forgettable Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, is now developing a new pair of AR glasses.

The company announced on Thursday that it's partnering up with the tech company Qualcomm to create the glasses, [according to *CNET*](<https://www.cnet.com/news/new-smartglasses-are-coming-from-qualcomm-and-pokemon-go-creator-niantic/#ftag=CAD590a51e>). As Apple and Facebook also work toward their own smart glasses in bids to succeed where [Google Glass spectacularly failed](<https://futurism.com/companies-smart-glasses-snapchat>), Niantic is entering the fray and creating a new design that will use Qualcomm's new mixed reality chip, all in an attempt to finally make AR wearables happen.

## Licensing Play

Niantic and Qualcomm haven't explained how the glasses might be used — and, arguably more importantly, it remains unclear whether they'll be compatible with Pokémon Go.

Rather, *CNET* reports that the companies seem to be developing glasses that other companies could license and sell rather than actually manufacturing them.

"We build a reference design to enable other hardware manufacturers to commercialize." Qualcomm head of mixed reality Hugo Swart told *CNET*.

**READ MORE:** [New smart glasses coming from Qualcomm and Pokemon Go creator Niantic](<https://www.cnet.com/news/new-smartglasses-are-coming-from-qualcomm-and-pokemon-go-creator-niantic/#ftag=CAD590a51e>) \[*CNET*\]

**More on Pokémon:** *[Putting Pokémon On The Blockchain Takes Microtransactions To Their Inevitable, Insufferable End](<https://futurism.com/pokemon-blockchain-microtransactions-twitch>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)