Skip to main content

11 different smartphones will support Google Daydream by the end of 2017

daydream
Image used with permission by copyright holder
One of the biggest obstacles that is preventing virtual reality from taking off among mainstream audiences is the fact that dedicated hardware is so expensive. For that reason, smartphone-based implementations of the technology are something of a gateway to the likes of the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift — and now Google has announced a forthcoming expansion of its Daydream program.

Speaking on an Alphabet earnings call yesterday, Google CEO Sundar Pichai revealed plans to make Daydream functionality available on a wider range of handsets, according to a report from The Verge. By the end of this year, a total of 11 Android handsets that support the technology will be available to consumers.

Recommended Videos

Currently, only the following phones are compatible with Daydream; Google’s Pixel line, the Motorola Moto Z, the Huawei Mate 9 Pro, the Porsche Design Mate 9, the ZTE Axon 7, and the Asus Zenfone AR. The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are also in the process of receiving support via software updates.

Daydream has received plenty of praise for its capacity to produce high quality VR experiences using smartphone hardware. It’s not quite on the level of a dedicated headset, but it’s comfortable and it’s immersive, and also rather convenient.

To experience VR content, users simply need to insert their smartphone into the Daydream View, an accessory that costs $80. It’s a similar idea to Samsung Gear VR, but Daydream may have an edge over the competition due to the fact that it’s compatible with a range of devices.

Google clearly has some major ambitions for VR, as its plans to expand the ranges of devices that support Daydream isn’t the only method of broadening the project that is in the works. At this year’s Google I/O keynote, the company revealed an early prototype of a standalone VR headset.

Pichai fell short of mentioning any specific models of smartphone, or even which manufacturers would be adding to the pool of Daydream-compatible devices before the end of 2017. However, as companies begin to refresh their flagship devices as the year comes to a close, we’ll see who’s jumping on board with Google’s ongoing VR interests.

Brad Jones
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…
Play ‘spot the difference’ with Google’s new Play Store logo
Google's redesigned Google Play logo.

Google Play, the app store where you likely get most of your Android apps, has turned 10 years old and to celebrate the anniversary, Google has thrown out the old logo and given the online store an entirely new one. Well, when we say “entirely new,” we may be pushing it a little, as the new Google Play logo is still a multi-colored triangle resembling a traditional play button, so don’t expect a huge change.

New Play logo (left) and old Play logo (right) Image used with permission by copyright holder

Read more
How AR glasses are going from niche gadget to smartphone replacement
A man tries out AR glasses.

Alternate realities have historically dominated fact and fiction. From the use of augmented and virtual realities in air combat training to sci-fi stories and novelistic tales of looking into a crystal ball, these surrogate realities have often helped humankind operate better or cope with the harsh truths of the real world.

Stepping into the future, we can see virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies becoming commonplace in our daily lives. The combined market for AR and VR headsets is expected to grow tenfold from 2021 through 2028, and for the future yet to come, AR could potentially replace that one gadget that our lives depend on so much — our smartphones.

Read more
The difference between Google One and Google Drive
Google One home page in Safari on a MacBook.

As a Google Drive user, you may have heard or read about Google One. What was once simply paid additional storage for Google Drive is now known as Google One. Since 2018, Google Drive users have had the option to subscribe to the service for the added storage along with extra benefits.

You may be wondering if you need Google One, what the benefits of the service include, and how much it costs. We’re here to give you answers.
Google One versus Google Drive

Read more