Google's Chrome Browser Finally Comes to Daydream VR

Google launched the Daydream mobile VR platform nearly two years ago, and in that time the company has released two versions of its Daydream VR headset and Lenovo launched the Mirage Solo with Daydream standalone VR headset. But only now is Google offering its Chrome web browser for those platforms.

Chrome for Daydream includes all the standard features of the standard Chrome browser, such as profile-synced bookmarks and form data. The browser also supports voice search functionalities and Incognito mode. It also features a a new VR-specific “cinema mode,” which “optimizes web video for the best viewing experience in VR.”

Chrome for Daydream isn’t a standalone Chrome browser; it’s an update to the standard Chrome browser for Android. As such, you start browsing on your smartphone, slip your phone into a Daydream View, and then continue browsing from your headset. This feature could be particularly useful for viewing 360-degree videos that may be embedded in a written story.

Daydream users have been able to test the VR browser out in early Canary builds of Chrome, but now it's finally being released as a stable platform for everyone.

 Kevin Carbotte is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware who primarily covers VR and AR hardware. He has been writing for us for more than four years.