Google's Daydream VR platform expanded with support for more phones, limited edition colors for the Daydream View HMD, and new apps like Netflix.
Daydream was announced in May as a mobile VR ecosystem that would allow Google to reach the market between the low-end $15-or-so Cardboard and premium VR HMDs that cost hundreds of dollars and require mid-tier or high-end PCs. The software platform offers easy access to VR apps from the Play Store, while the Daydream View HMD offers a more fashionable take on VR headsets.
Both aspects of the platform are expanding. On the software side, Google announced that must-have apps like Netflix, HBO Now, and NextVR are now available. Daydream's game lineup also grew with Gunjack 2: End of Shift, Lego BrickHeads Builder VR, and Layers of Fear: Solitude, among others. Companies have had access only to the non-beta version of Daydream's developer tools since September, so this rapid expansion is a welcome one.
The hardware side of Daydream is also growing. Google said that Motorola's Moto Z and Moto Z Force are now ready for the platform, and it's also released the Daydream View HMD in limited edition Crimson and Snow color variants. The headset previously came only in a dark grey Slate color; releasing these new color options helps support Google's plan to create a headset that is a little more stylish than the other VR HMDs available today.
These color options will be available only for a limited time. They will be sold in the United States from the Google Store, Best Buy, and Verizon Wireless; in the UK from the Google Store, EE, and Carphone Warehouse; and in Australia from the Google Store. The headset costs $79. All of the software titles mentioned in Google's announcement can now be downloaded from the Play Store on any Daydream-compatible device.
