The future of Google hardware has arrived.
On Monday morning in San Francisco, California, Google CEO Sundar Pichai taken the stage to unveil a wide variety of new products, highlighted by the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones. But before we get to the the phones, Google has a few other devices to unveil, including the Daydream View VR headset.
RELATED: Watch Google’s big Pixel event right here
Google originally announced Daydream back in May — an VR platform built specifically for Android devices. The Pixel, which Google also revealed this afternoon, will be one of the first Daydream-ready phones. But how are you supposed to use Daydream? With a head-mounted display (HMD), of course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLLAA4ENIP4
Unlike the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Gear VR or PlayStation VR, the Daydream View is actually made out of fabric rather than plastic. According to Clay Bavor, Google’s VR head, this makes the headset far more comfortable for users to wear.
One of the biggest hurdles to overcome when considering jumping into the world of VR is the difficulty of setting the hardware itself up in the first place. With Daydream View, all you have to do is drop your phone into the headset and strap in. No cords, no wires, no screens to tap through — the phone and the View communicate with one another wirelessly and the two devices automatically align with one another.
So now that your phone is sitting inside of a VR headset, how are you supposed to control it? That’s where the remote comes in. Google actually showed off the remote earlier this year, and you can see it in action below:
You can do some pretty awesome things with the Daydream controller. #IO16https://t.co/GMKIrNbPYS
— Google (@Google) May 18, 2016
The only issue with the remote is its size, but thankfully, Google thought of this beforehand. There’s actually a slot on the headset where you can store the remote once you’re done with it, so you won’t accidentally drop it between some cushions.
As for the software you’ll be interacting with, Google says that it will have 50 partners on board before the end of the year, including HBO, Hulu and Netflix. Google also showed off a few games, including a tie-in with the upcoming Harry Potter spinoff, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, as well as a sequel to EVE: Gunjack, which was one of the better Gear VR launch titles.
Google says that the Daydream View will be available in November for $79. It will come in three different colors—snow, slate and crimson—and more Daydream headsets from other partners are expected to be unveiled soon.
