The head of Google’s new virtual reality department Clay Bavor has confirmed the company will also build hardware for its Daydream VR project.
During the Google I/O keynote on Wednesday, Bavor revealed plans to license reference designs for the more comfortable headsets and new electronic controller to third-party manufacturers.
24-hours on and Bavor has admitted Google will also be producing hardware for the initiative, which it sees as the evolution of the smartphone-reliant Cardboard platform.
“It’s not just going to be [that we’re] partners,” Bavor said (via Recode).
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Google says eight smartphone engineers have signed on to create phones that fit the spec, including Samsung, HTC, LG and Huawei. The first of these phones are coming this autumn.
The company has also designed a dedicated Daydream app, which offers a modified version of the Google Play Store.
The storefront will be filled with apps like YouTube, Google Street View, HBO Now, MLB.com and eventually a host of compatible games from the likes of Ubisoft and EA.
Later on Thursday, the YouTube team also offered a look at what a new dedicated Daydream app. You can see it below.
Google’s decision to build Daydream hardware, rather than simply leave it to the market, should set a benchmark for quality and perhaps even bring down the price for people looking to jump aboard.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
