Cross-platform framework Qt 6.8 brings support for new devices and platforms

The cross-platform framework Qt has reached version 6.8. This is a release with long-term support (LTS), which will apply to commercial users for five years. Previously, the support period for LTS releases was three years. The new features include handling new platforms and operating system versions as well as full support for three-dimensional data visualization with the Qt Graphs module.

Qt for Windows on ARM and virtual reality devices

With Qt 6.8, the mobile operating systems in the new versions iOS 18 or Android 14 can be specified as targets. Raspberry Pi 5 and Nvidia AGX Orin have been added to the supported devices. An additional architecture can also be used: The release is compatible with Windows on ARM, allowing the new Microsoft Copilot+ PCs to be used as targets, for example. This means that Qt support for the ARM architecture is now complete – for embedded, mobile and desktop development.

As a new device category, Qt can also handle the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3 XR headsets. In light of the increasing importance of virtual, augmented and mixed reality applications, according to the Qt team, the new Qt Quick 3D Xr module is now also available. It is designed to make developers' work easier when it comes to developing immersive experiences for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) platforms.

3D data visualization with Qt Graphs

The Qt Graphs toolkit is fully supported in the current release, having previously been available as a technology preview. Qt Graphs is used for interactive and dynamic data visualization in 2D and 3D and offers rendering functions and performance optimizations. It replaces the two older modules Qt Charts and Qt Data Visualization and is intended to allow more intuitive and convenient operation by combining their features.

With the transition to the stable version, Qt Graphs has received new functions, including transparency for Bars3D as well as greater control over the margins of labels, the positioning of titles and the rendering of grid lines.

In total, the new release brings over 500 bug fixes and performance improvements since Qt 6.7. Not only Qt Graphs, but also the Qt HttpServer and Qt GRPC modules have made the leap from the Technology Preview to the fully supported version.

Qt is available in both an open source version and with commercial licenses and can be downloaded from the Qt website for Windows, macOS or Linux.

All other new features can be found on the Qt blog.

(mai)