Google announces Daydream View, coming in November for $79

The first Daydream-ready smartphone on the market is Google’s new Pixel and the first headset for the platform is Daydream View, coming soon for $79.

Clay Bavor, head of VR at Google, presented the headset on stage at Google’s San Francisco event just a few minutes ago. Bavor said that VR is an important initiative for Google, as it enables visceral experiences that can change how we consume media and more. To make this possible, Daydream View features solid specs including a “good field of view” and low latency and accurate head tracking (when combined with Pixel), according to the executive.

Google also wanted to make Daydream View more comfortable and user friendly than existing VR headsets, so it used an unusual material to make it: textiles. The Daydream View is made of fabric and soft microfiber, the kind of materials you would see in athletic apparel and other clothing. That not only makes it more comfortable to use, but also lighter – up to 30% lighter than other headsets, according to Google. View also works with eyeglasses, said Bavor.

To install the phone in Daydream View, simply open the front “hatch” and slip in the device – the phone and the headset pair automatically and the device autoaligns thanks to the construction of the View.

For control and interaction, Daydream View comes with a controller, that’s supposedly accurate enough to allow you to write your name. You can also aim, point and swing, and you can slip it into the headset so you don’t lose it when you don’t use it.

Google highlighted some of the experiences that its partners have been preparing for Daydream View, including a tie-up with Warner Bros for an exclusive “Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them” experience and Gunjack 2, from the makers of EVE Online.

The Daydream View will cost just $79 and be available in white, grey, and red starting in November. Let us know your thoughts on it!

This post was originally published on our sister site VRSource.com!