Qualcomm is developing its camera processing technologies and modules to meet the “growing demands of photo and video” on smartphones and VR headsets.

The company announced it is expanding its Qualcomm Spectra Module Program – which is designed to deliver image quality and vision innovations – with the developments set to feature alongside the launch of the next Snapdragon processor for the Android operating system.

Launched in 2016, the module programme is dedicated to delivering improvements to still and video picture quality. The initiative falls under Qualcomm’s Spectra umbrella, which includes embedded image signal processors (ISPs).

Qualcomm said it is now expanding the programme to include new camera modules capable of utilising “active sensing for superior biometric authentication”.

It will also provide “structured light for a variety of computer vision applications that require real-time, dense depth map generation and segmentation”.

At its launch, the programme offered customers optimised dual camera modules, which Qualcomm said made it easy for manufacturers to produce devices with “improved low light photography and video recording with smooth zoom”.

Second-generation Qualcomm Spectra ISPs will launch alongside the new modules, and provide advances in image quality, lower noise levels in photos and reduce blur.

The developments are designed to “support new extended reality use cases for virtual and augmented reality applications”, the company stated.

Tim Leland, VP of product management at Qualcomm, said the latest advancements “are designed to support an ecosystem of cutting edge mobile applications”.

“Whether used for computational photography, video recording, or for computer vision applications that require accurate motion tracking, it’s clear that power efficient camera image signal processing has become more important for the next generation of mobile user experiences,” he said.