The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus don't support Google Daydream

This article originally appeared on our sister-site, VR Source.

Despite it being one of the most powerful smartphones ever made, and meeting all of the necessary requirements, the Samsung Galaxy S8 does not natively support Google Daydream. When trying to install the Daydream app on the new S8 or S8 Plus, for use with Samsung’s Gear VR headset, you’ll simply be greeted with an error message.

Though Samsung’s Gear VR platform is the more developed in terms of available content, and Samsung is under no obligation to provide support for Google Daydream, this still might disappoint some users who want access to Google’s offerings — which includes some apps that Samsung’s platform doesn’t have. This problem is likely only to grow as the Daydream platform itself does.

Samsung may or may not want its headset to play nice with Google’s platform given that it has its own VR material to push, and Samsung’s Oculus ties could stand in the way of a Google agreement for Daydream platform distribution (as we’ve said, there’s not technical reason that the S8s can’t run Daydream).

Whatever the reason, VRHeads notes that you can change a single line of code in the Galaxy S8’s system permission files to get Daydream working. This process would require root access, which isn’t yet available on the S8, but it’s likely that it won’t stay this way for long.

Once that presents itself, you will be able to access Daydream, sanctioned or not. It just might involve voiding your S8’s warranty to do so.