Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus getting Daydream support this summer, LG V30 could be next

On stage during the Google I/O 2017 opening keynote, Google’s head of VR/AR Clay Bavor gave us an update on the state of the Daydream VR program. Launched last year, the scheme promised to put out a multitude of devices that meet a baseline standard for great mobile VR experiences. The only problem? Companies have mostly failed to come up with Daydream-ready phones.

That could change, to an extent, over the following months. Bavor said Daydream VR support will be coming to Samsung’s blockbuster Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus via a software update sometime this summer. The devices definitely have the processing power required to run just about any mobile VR application, though Samsung would probably prefer to promote its own Gear VR solution, co-developed with Oculus.

In addition to the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, Bavor revealed that LG’s next flagship phone would also support the standard. The exec did not name the device, but he was likely talking about the V30, which is due in early fall. Just today, we cited Korean sources claiming LG would adopt AMOLED screens for its upcoming devices, starting with the V30. While Google doesn’t specifically rule out LCD screens from Daydream VR compatibility, LCD limitations mean that only OLED devices have obtained the certification so far.

Stay tuned as we bring you more details from Google I/O 2017 and let us know what you think!