Google announced its very first Virtual Reality headset, the Daydream View, at the 2016 Google I/O developer conference last year. While the VR headset has been available in select markets globally, the Mountain View-based tech company has officially launched Daydream View in India today, an entire year after its I/O reveal. The Google Daydream VR is priced at Rs 6,499 in India and will only be available online through Flipkart. The headset will also have a year's warranty from the date of purchase. There are a few discount offers also available for the Daydream View. PhonePe users on Flipkart that buy Daydream via UPI will get a flat Rs 300 off on payment. Also the first 30 customers will receive a Google Chromecast free, and the first 50 customers will receive a Google Play Store Credit worth Rs 500.
A marked improvement over the Google cardboard, the Daydream View VR is a platform built on top of Android Nougat and is accompanied by a motion controller. The Daydream View headset, unlike the Cardboard, will work exclusively with Daydream-ready smartphone; it has specific component requirements such as SoCs, sensors, and displays. At the time of its launch, Google had listed eight manufacturers as partners who would eventually launch Daydream-ready smartphones. These included – LG, HTC, Samsung, Huawei, ZTE, Asus, Xiaomi and Alcatel. Of these, only Huawei, ZTE and Asus have extended support for the Daydream VR platform, while Motorola also added Daydream support with the Moto Z. However, Google’s other official partners have not paid much attention to the headset till now. There are, of course, Google’s own Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones that support the VR headset and in a product note shared with us, the company has noted that the Samsung Galaxy S8 will extend support for the Daydream View very soon.
On mounting the Google Daydream View, users will be greeted by a home screen with apps and VR content, much like the Samsung Gear VR. Google has developed VR versions of some of its most popular apps such as – YouTube, Street View, Google Play Store, and more. The company has also partnered with the likes of Ubisoft, EA, LEGO and Warner Bros to make games for the Daydream View VR headset. Some of these games include – Need for Speed No Limits VR, LEGO BrickHeadz Builder VR, Fantastic Beasts, and more. Other Daydream-ready apps include – Google Arts & Culture, NYT VR, YouTube VR, The Guardian VR, The Turning Forest, Labster: World of Science, Netflix VR, Google Play Movies, Within, and more.
In our first impressions of the Daydream View VR, we noted that it was much smoother and richer than the Gear VR. We experienced the device using a Google Pixel smartphone and noted that the screen was very clear, the headset was comfortable to wear and the frame rates were smooth while turning the head. The controller with the Daydream View features 9-axis motion control, which is great for gaming and navigation. It connects to the smartphone via Bluetooth and has a battery life of 12 hours. It can be charged via a USB-C cable.
As Google launches the Daydream View in India, the company is also known to be working on new Daydream standalone VR headsets, which won’t require a phone or a PC to run on. The company made the announcement at the I/O conference this year. Google has even developed a prototype of the new headset and will be partnering with HTC and Lenovo to deliver the mainstream units based on its concept. Take a look at a quick demo of the Daydream View VR headset below and stay tuned for the complete review of the device.