Google Daydream
Google announced its new Daydream VR platform at Google I/O. Jim Martin looks at what we know so far
Virtual Reality (VR) is one of the big tech stories of 2016 and Google has announced the new Daydream platform at Google I/O. But what is it and when will it be available in the UK? Here we answer all these questions and more.
Release date
Daydream will be available this autumn, and we think it will coincide with the next Google phone launch, which will be a new Nexus that’s Daydream ready. In essence, you’ll be able to get your hands on a Daydream-compatible phone, plus a headset and controller well in time for Christmas.
Price
It’s early days, but from the start Google has pitched its VR at the masses. This means it’s not going to be expensive. The phone will be the biggest cost, but as you’ll upgrade anyway, it’s not really a cost. The real expense is the headset and controller. This is likely to rival the price of a Samsung Gear VR headset and a Bluetooth controller.
What is Daydream?
We’ve already seen the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive (plus others), but those headsets rely on a powerful PC. Google is instead focused on mobile VR, and bringing VR to the masses. In essence, Daydream is the evolution of Google Cardboard and is not just a headset, but also a controller and part of Android N.
The main problem with Cardboard – aside from the fact that it’s uncomfortable – is latency. The motion-to-photon latency – the delay between you moving your head and the image updating on the screen – is a critical part of any VR system and is also key to you feeling immersed when wearing a headset. That’s why there’s a new VR mode in Android N. Google says it has had to “all levels of the stack are optimised for getting a latency of under 20ms”.
Daydream isn’t a single product, it’s a platform for high-quality mobile VR for Android smartphones. It sets out the specifications and minimum requirements for a great VR experience, which means it will initially only be available on flagship phones. No current phone has the
necessary hardware – particularly the highend sensors for accurate head tracking – but Google has told developers to start with the Nexus 6P. Actual Daydream Ready phones will offer a better VR experience, not least because a proper Daydream Ready phone won’t overheat and throttle its performance after a short while like the Nexus 6P will.
All you have to do is look out for a ‘Daydream Ready’ logo, which will tell you the phone meets or exceeds those minimum specifications. As well as sensors, the display must have a low persistence (the image must refresh quickly) it must have a fast processor.
As the image opposite shows, a Daydream headset will have a headband, just like the Oculus, Vive and (more similar) Samsung Gear VR. Google Cardboard didn’t have a band, as it was intended only for brief VR demos.
But like Cardboard and Gear VR, you’ll still insert your phone into the headset, and view the screen through lenses that allow you to see the image clearly as such a close distance. Naturally, you’ll have to wear headphones for immersive audio ( just as you do with all current VR headsets).
The Daydream controller is an integral part of the system: it’s not optional. You’ll use it to select things and play games. It’s a bit like an Android TV or Apple TV remote, in that it has a clickable touchpad and a couple of buttons, so it’s easy to use without looking at it. It also has an orientation sensor so it knows where you’re pointing.
In addition to Android N’s VR mode, you’ll also have a version of Google Play for VR which you’ll find on the Daydream Home screen. This may sound obvious, but it’s important because
it means you can explore apps in a virtual reality environment with screenshots and videos, install them and then play them – all in one interface. It’s something Oculus currently lacks.
As the teaser screen shows (below), Need for Speed: No Limits will be one of the launch Daydream games, as will EVE: Gunjack, a space shooter and ‘Action Bowling’. Google has updated some of its own apps for VR, including Google Play Movies, Street View and Google Photos. YouTube is a big one: you’ll be able to create playlists in VR, and it also support spatial audio, so sounds will come from different places depending on where you’re looking. Plus, you’ll be able to watch all standard videos as well as dedicated VR videos in YouTube. Given that YouTube isn’t available on the Oculus or HTC Vive, it’s one extra reason (beyond the overall low cost) to get Daydream. Other video services include HBO Now and MLB.com.