Google announced that WebVR, the API that allows developers to build VR experiences for the web, is now supported by its Google Cardboard platform. The company also introduced a new WebVR Experiments page to make it easier for you to explore what developers are doing with the API.
Mozilla and Google introduced the WebVR API 1.0 Proposal in March 2016 with the intent of making VR content accessible to anyone with a web browser. Google expanded on that mission in February with the announcement that its Chrome browser and Daydream platform would support WebVR, which meant you could interact with VR experiences on practically any PC, tablet, or smartphone, albeit in 2D and with limited features.
Now the API has made the jump to Google Cardboard. This should make true VR experiences more accessible--few Daydream phones have been announced, which means WebVR currently offers just a small taste of what VR is like. Not everyone can afford a high-end PC, VR HMD, and all the other equipment needed to experience VR; Google Cardboard lets you see what all the fuss is about without breaking the bank on a full setup.
"Everyone should be able to experience VR, and WebVR is a big step in that direction," Google said in today's announcement. "It’s open to all browsers, making it easier for developers to create something quickly and share it with everyone, no matter what device they’re on." That sentiment will ring a little more true when WebVR support heads to Chrome for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, which the company said is "coming soon."
Google also introduced a new WebVR Experiments website to collect VR experiences compatible with the API. At launch, the site features a variety of games, an interactive music video, and other VR experiences that sit in between "tech demo" and "real product." Google said in its announcement that WebVR Experiments will feature other VR experiences, in time; you can submit your own work for inclusion by filling out a form on the website.
