Former Apple Engineer Builds AI Chip To Rival Apple Vision Pro In China

A Chinese startup by the name of GravityXR, which was founded by former Apple engineer Wang Chaohao, has become a sensation in the world of XR after it unveiled its AI smart glasses chip. After leaving Apple's extended reality division, Chaohao established GravityXR in China with the hope of delivering components that can rival Apple's high-end XR devices.

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Introducing GravityXR's AI Chip

The latest creation of GravityXR is called the Jizhi G-X100. Marketed as China's very first all-in-one mixed reality chip, it is built on advanced 5nm technology. This chip was designed for lightweight AI glasses and headsets, situating GravityXR as a future competitor to current premium XR hardware leader Apple's Vision Pro.

How It Stands Out

The most striking feature, however, is that the G-X100 touts a photon-to-photon latency of 9 milliseconds, which the company claims bests Vision Pro's 12 milliseconds. Lower latency means a smoother, more responsive virtual and augmented reality experience. The chip is designed to power everything from compact AI glasses to advanced XR headsets.

Spatial computing, enabled by this hardware, means devices can process and "see" the real world, bringing physical and digital worlds into a single environment. GravityXR's high-speed performance combined with low latency reflects a wider industry trend: the race by companies to close the gap between physical perception and digital interaction in XR and AI wearables.

Talent, Backing, and Strategic Positioning

Wang Chaohao's move from Apple to founding GravityXR is a telling example of the shift in global tech talent. His background at Apple's XR unit and education at Stanford give credibility to the venture. GravityXR wants to be a local alternative to US tech giants, positioning itself in a climate where China presses for technological self-sufficiency due to ongoing US-China tensions over high-end technologies like AI chips.

The startup has already lined up several backers, including HongShan - formerly Sequoia Capital China - Gaorong Capital, Goertek, and miHoYo, indicating powerful financial and industry support for the venture.

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With the Jizhi G-X100, GravityXR is entering a market dominated by Apple, promising faster and more responsive XR experiences. Given its ambitions, how much the startup can actually challenge a global leader remains to be seen.