Google has killed its VR platform dubbed Daydream. The info was shared via a support page, thus adding the platform to the growing list of products Google has killed.

The post says that the “Daydream app is no longer supported by Google and may not work properly on some devices running Android 11 or later”. What this means is that devices that supported the platform originally and get updated to Android 11 will no longer work with Daydream. This includes phones such as the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3. Last year’s Pixel 4 didn’t even support the feature, which was a sign that it was going to get axed eventually.

It goes on to say that many of the third-party apps and experiences within Daydream may still be available as standalone apps in the Google Play Store. It also says that the Daydream View headset used to view VR content is no longer available for sale.

Google is not the only manufacturer that has abandoned VR. Chinese manufacturer, Xiaomi, who launched a couple of VR headsets including the Mi VR headset has ditched the platform.

If you are still invested in VR, Facebook-owned Oculus is very much still in business. Just recently, it announced the Oculus Quest 2, a $299 standalone VR headset.

UP NEXT: India to launch its own app store to rival Google and Apple

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In 2017, Google announced there would be standalone Daydream VR headsets before the end of the year but they didn’t launch. It mentioned HTC and Lenovo as hardware partners but the former later pulled out and released its own standalone headset called the Vive Focus. Yesterday at CES, Lenovo announced the Mirage Solo, the first standalone Daydream headset and the first with Google’s Worldsense technology.

The headset has a QHD (2560 x 1440) display with a 110° viewing angle. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 and paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

Lenovo’s headset also has an audio jack, dual microphones, and a whopping 7 hours of battery life. It also comes with a remote similar to that of the Daydream View.

The Mirage Solo is also the first headset to feature Google’s Worldsense technology. This allows users to move naturally in VR without the need for external sensors. The Oculus Go, another standalone VR headset doesn’t not have this feature. Though Oculus is said to be working on a headset code-named Santa Cruz with positional-tracking.

Since this is the first Daydream VR headset with Worldsense, it may take a while before content that takes advantage of the technology is available. The success of the headset will also play a big role and also if more headsets are made. Google already announced a Blade Runner game though, so there is that alongside other regular VR games.

The headset itself has been built to be super comfortable. There is an adjustment dial on the back that helps with weight distribution. It is also padded in the right places for a comfortable experience.

READ MORE: Lenovo’s ZUK Could Make Comeback With New Product In April: Rumor

Lenovo has not announced a price yet but the Mirage Solo is expected to sell for under $400 with a Q2 release date. It is way cheaper than HTC’s China-exclusive Vive Focus which is also powered by the SD835 and has positional tracking but priced at ¥3999 (~$613) for the Almond White variant and ¥4299 (~$660) for the Electric Blue variant.

(Via)

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Earlier this year, there were reports that standalone Daydream VR headsets will hit markets this year. Some of the manufacturers linked to the reports include HTC, Lenovo and Huawei. With the year almost over, there is no chance a standalone Daydream VR headset will hit the market.

HTC announced last month that it will no longer release a Daydream headset at the launch of its own standalone VR headset, the Vive Focus. However, we still have Huawei and Lenovo left.

Details of the Huawei’s Daydream VR headset surfaced about a month ago when it made an appearance at the FCC. Now it has been followed by that of Lenovo.

According to the FCC documents, the VR headset is called the Lenovo Mirage Solo and has model number Lenovo VR-1541F. Other features revealed include a 4,000mAh battery capacity and Bluetooth 5.0.

While it is not specifically mentioned, we believe the Mirage Solo is powered by a Snapdragon 835 processor.

Have been using and loving my pre-release @Lenovo standalone headset, running Daydream. More soon. Can't wait for you to try it. pic.twitter.com/lwb6PCG4tD

— Clay Bavor (@claybavor) November 14, 2017

Last month, Google’s VP of VR Clay Bavor, tweeted that he has been using a pre-release unit of Lenovo’s VR headset powered by Daydream. He added that more (details) will be revealed soon.

An image accompanying the tweet shows a line drawing of the headset with a controller identical to that of the Daydream headset for the Pixels.

With barely a week left this year, there are speculations that the Lenovo Mirage Solo will be unveiled at CES 2018 which thankfully begins in January. The price is expected to be revealed at the event in addition to other specs.

READ MORE: Lenovo’s Star Wars AR Headset is Coming To A Galaxy Near You

The Lenovo Mirage Solo is expected to have a price around that of the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, rather than that of the Oculus Go which is a standalone VR headset and priced at $199.

(Source, Via)

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In January, Google had confirmed that Huawei is working on its own Daydream Virtual Reality (VR) headset. However, since then, there has been no major update on the arrival of VR headset by Huawei. Now that the device has received FCC (Federal Communications Commission) certification in the U.S., the launch of the Huawei branded Daydream VR seems to be close at hand.

An item dubbed as “virtual reality handle” along with some images has surfaced in FCC documents. It seems to be a controller as it appears quite similar to the one that is available with Google’s Daydream VR. Its top portion could be touch-sensitive and it seems to feature buttons for Home, Return and volume.

The FCC documents reveals that apart from controlling the sound, the volume buttons can be also used for answering or rejecting phone calls while using the VR headset. This suggests that the upcoming VR headset by Huawei is not a standalone device, but it will require users to put their smartphone inside the device and use its screen to show Daydream compatible content.

Read More: Huawei Demonstrates iPhone X-Like 3D Facial Recognition Feature, Animated Emoji

The FCC documents do not contain images of the VR headset. Even though Google had shown what the VR headset by Huawei would  look like earlier this year, the Chinese manufacturer may have modified the design of the device.

As of this writing, only Mate 9 and Mate 9 Porsche Design are certified as Daydream VR ready phones by Huawei. It is likely that the recently launched Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro would also bag the certification. Since there are not many Daydream ready Huawei phones in the market, its upcoming VR headset will be compatible with phones from other brands.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018 will be held in January 2018. It is likely that Huawei’s Daydream VR headset may get showcased at CES 2018. If not, the company may make it official at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 event in February 2018.

(source|via)

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Google has a big launch event scheduled for tomorrow at San Francisco. Apart from unveiling Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones, the search engine giant will be also showcasing other devices. Here is what our readers can expect from Google Pixel 2 launch event:

How to Watch Google Pixel 2 Launch Event?

As mentioned above, the event will take place at San Francisco and it will begin at 9 AM PST in the U.S. The event will be also livestreamed on the official “Made by Google” YouTube channel.

Viewers in the U.K. can view the livestream at 5 PM BST. In India, it will be viewable at 9:30 PM IST. In China, the Pixel 2 launch event livestream will be viewable at 12 AM on Oct. 5.

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

Plenty of information on the Google Pixel 2 duo have been revealed ahead of its launch. Readers can visit the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL rumor roundup article to known everything on their expected specifications, features, and pricing. Earlier today, reliable tipster Evan Blass has revealed the leaked press renders of the Pixel 2 and 2 XL. The 64 GB and 128 GB Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are rumored to carry respective pricing of $649/$749 and $849/$949.

Google Pixelbook and Pixel Pen

The rumored Pixelbook is a convertible device that can be used as a laptop as well as a tablet. It is speculated as a premium device that will be running on Chrome OS. Its 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB models are tipped to arrive with respective pricing of $1,199, $1,399 and $1,749. Google is rumored to sell an optional Pixel Pen stylus worth $99 for the Pixelbook.

Google Home Mini and Daydream View VR

A smaller version of Google Home smart speaker dubbed as Home Mini is also pegged to debut tomorrow. Unlike the regular Google Home, its mini version may not be a wireless device. The Google Assistant driven miniature smart speaker is expected to cost $49 and it is likely to come in multiple color options.

The Daydream View VR will be enhanced version of the original model that was launched in the previous year. It Is expected to arrive in multiple colors along with a motion controller. The device is expected to be priced at $99.

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Samsung and Google had confirmed after the launch of Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ that both the smartphones would be soon supporting Daydream VR. The Daydream VR support for these Samsung flagship phones were also promised by the U.S. carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon, but there was no confirmation on global availability of Daydream VR.

The ASUS ZenFone AR includes Snapdragon 821 chipset, 8 GB of RAM and 5.7-inch QHD display. It is the first smartphone in the world to support Daydream VR (Virtual Reality) and Tango AR (Augmented Reality). When Samsung had introduced the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphones in March which came with Snapdragon 835, 4 GB of RAM and QHD+ resolution supporting larger screens that of ZenFone AR, the flagship specs of these phones suggested that they are also capable of supporting Daydream VR. However, it was surprising to see that Samsung did not include the feature on Galaxy S8 duo on launch or release. Fortunately, Google has now confirmed that the Daydream VR will be supported by Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+

The Gear VR platform is a collaborative effort between Samsung and Oculus for Samsung smartphones. The agreement between the two companies reportedly did not allow Samsung to reach an agreement with the search engine for making the Daydream VR available on Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ smartphones. The Daydream headset and controller are presently available with a discounted price of $59 against its usual price of $79. However, Samsung Gear VR is priced at $129.

At the Google I/O 2017 event in May, it was made official that the Daydream VR would be soon coming to Galaxy S8 duo. through a firmware update this summer. By making Daydream VR available for Galaxy S8 duo, the popularity of Google’s VR would increase all the more.

The Daydream-ready update is rolling out now to @SamsungMobile Galaxy S8 and S8+. Explore new worlds with #Daydream. https://t.co/KaRNJEcURi pic.twitter.com/PEeC6RfyyZ

— Google AR & VR (@GoogleARVR) July 31, 2017

The above tweet from the official Google VR Twitter handle is another confirmation that Daydream-ready update would be soon coming to Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. The Huawei Mate 9 Pro and its Porsche Design edition, Motorola Moto Z, and ZTE Axon 7 are some of the other phones that will be soon getting the Daydream VR update.

As mentioned above, some of the U.S. carriers also confirmed on the arrival of Daydream VR. However, it was only when Google initiates the server-side support, Daydream VR can come to the Galaxy S8 duo. A simple way to confirm the arrival of Daydream VR is to clear the data of Google VR Service app. Doing so will enable Daydream VR on the S8 and S8+.

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Google had confirmed earlier in this month during the Google I/O 2017 event that the ASUS ZenFone AR would be launching in summer this year. However, the exact timeframe of its arrival and the regions that will be receiving it were not confirmed. During an interview with Engadget, ASUS CEO Jerry Shen confirmed that the timeframe on when it will be arriving in the home country of Taiwan and the U.S.

The ASUS ZenFone AR was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017 in January this year. However, at the time of unveiling, ASUS did not confirm on its release. As mentioned above, its summer arrival was confirmed earlier in this month.  Shen has confirmed that ZenFone AR will be going on sale in Taiwan in mid-June.

As far as the U.S. release is concerned, it is confirmed to be available for buying in July. Verizon will be the exclusive carrier of ZenFone AR in the U.S.  Apart from ASUS, third-party retailers will be also selling the ZenFone AR in the stateside.

Read More: ASUS X00KD Seen on TENAA With Dual Rear Cameras, 720p Display & 4020mAh Battery

The ASUS ZenFone AR powered with Snapdragon 821 chipset is the first smartphone to come with 8 GB of RAM. However, the USP of the phone is that it is the first smartphone that is enabled Google Tango Augmented Reality and Google Daydream Virtual Reality.  The Lenovo Phab Pro 2 from last year was the first Tango-enabled smartphone. It did not carry support for Daydream VR.

There are three cameras on the rear side of the ZenFone AR for motion tracking, depth measuring and room mapping. As humans can do, these sensors allow the ZenFone AR to 3D mapping. Earlier this year, GAP, a clothing chain retail firm demonstrated how this technology works. It showed its app could let a Tango enabled smartphone user to try their merchandise on a virtual mannequin with a body that matches with that of the user.

Currently, there are 100 Tango apps available for ZenFone AR. Shen has confirmed that there would over 1,000 Tango apps available for ZenFone AR users. Other specs of ZenFone AR include QHD 5.7-inch AMOLED screen, 64 GB / 128 GB storage options. It is packed with a 3,300mAh battery.

The pricing of ZenFone AR is still under the wraps, but Shen has said that it won’t be costing more than the Galaxy S8. It indicates that the Tango AR and Daydream VR enabled smartphone would be priced less than $799.

(source)

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The ASUS ZenFone AR was launched at the start of the year during Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017 event in January. Since the time it was launched, there has been no news on its availability. However, Google has now confirmed that the ZenFone AR would be arriving by summer this year.

The ASUS ZenFone AR is the second Google Tango device ever made. The first one was Lenovo PHAB 2 Pro from 2016. The ZenFone AR is the world’s first smartphone to support both Google Tango AR and Daydream VR. Moreover, the ZenFone AR is also the world’s first smartphone to come with 8 GB of RAM.

The ASUS ZenFone AR is equipped TriCam system meaning it is packed with three rear cameras that perform respective tasks such as motion tracking, measure depth and room mapping. As humans can measure space and motion, even the ZenFone AR can do the same with the help of the sensors.

Read More: Report: ASUS Might End ZenWatch Development

The ZenFone AR has a 5.7-inch AMOLED screen that offers quad HD display and it delivers a screen-to-body ratio of 79 percent. It is driven by Snapdragon 821 chipset. Apart from 8 GB variant, the smartphone also features a 6 GB RAM model. It will be coming in two storage sizes 64 GB and 128 GB.

The rear camera is of 23-megapixel which is enabled with features like dual-LED flash, OIS and RAW photography. The front-facing selfie snapper of 8-megapixel is also enabled with dual-LED flash. It is preloaded with Android 7.0 Nougat and Zen UI 3.0. It features a USB Type-C port and a fingerprint reader. It is packed with a 3,300mAh battery that is enabled with rapid charging feature.

Google actively uses Tango technology in the classroom. Today, Google announced that, “more than two million students have taken virtual field trips with Expeditions using Cardboard.” By fall, the search engine giant wants to begin special programs to make AR lessons available to schools.

There is no information available on the pricing of ASUS ZenFone AR. The smartphone can be expected to be available in the next few months.

(source)

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