PICO Previews Project Swan Headset With Dual-Chip Design and 4000 PPI Displays

• Project Swan will feature MicroOLED displays near 4000 PPI, delivering an average of 40 pixels per degree with a central region exceeding 45 PPD.
• The headset uses a dual-chip system, combining a custom XR chip with a flagship SoC that more than doubles CPU and GPU performance, increasing over XR2 Gen 2.

PICO shared early details of its latest flagship headset, internally named Project Swan. The device features a new generation of MicroOLED displays nearing 4000 PPI, delivering an average of 40 pixels per degree, with a central sweet spot exceeding 45 PPD. PICO positions this optical stack as sharp enough for text-heavy, professional workflows. The headset is targeting a global launch in late 2026.

To support mixed reality, Project Swan introduces a dual-chip architecture. A custom XR chip handles perception and imaging, combining input from multiple sensors to construct a representation of the physical environment with 12 milliseconds of latency. Alongside it, a flagship system-on-chip delivers more than double the CPU and GPU performance increase compared to XR2 Gen 2.

Alongside the hardware preview, PICO introduced PICO OS 6 as a rebuilt spatial operating system designed to better support mixed reality. At its core is the PICO Spatial Engine, which shifts graphics processing from individual apps into the operating system itself. This change allows 2D apps, 3D experiences, virtual environments, and physical reality to run at the same time within a single system. The update also adds spatial multitasking, enabling users to work on 3D models with remote collaborators represented as avatars while keeping browsers and notes open in their physical space.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

By rebuilding its OS while introducing a dual-chip headset, PICO is tightening control over both software and silicon, a move that signals platform ambition along with a major hardware refresh.

Source: PICO XR via LinkedIn