Google today unveiled its first Daydream headset called ‘View’, a high-quality mobile VR headset that works exclusively with Android’s integrated VR support.
Google announced several big hardware bits this morning at its ‘Made By Google’ hardware event including the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, a 4K Chromecast, and the VR belle of the ball, the company’s first Daydream VR headset.
The headset is called View and aims to being a touch of comfort to the VR experience. The device works with Daydream certified phones, connects and uses NFC to detect your phone is present wirelessly (no connectors) and uses auto alignment to allow quick and seamless entry and exit from VR – informed by capacitive pads on the View headset, where they touch the screen, tells the phone how to orient the image.
Clay Bavor, lead of Google’s VR team, stated that the team took a look at other VR headsets that were out there and decided that for their entry, the look and feel should not only be comfortable, but “simple, friendlier, and more accessible.” This lead to the headset’s unconventional, fabric covered design that Clay said looks more like something you’d wear in every day life.
Glasses wearers can also rejoice, as Bavor announced the View’s facial interface “fits nicely over eyeglasses.” The padded faceplate interface itself is detachable, and is said to be breathable and hand-washable, possibly making way for the possibility of multiple inserts.
The headset will arrive in three colors; slate, snow, and crimson.
The headset was announced alongside’s Google’s new flagship phone Pixel, which was pushed as the perfect partner for VR. Pixel represents the company’s first Daydream ‘certified’ phone.
The headset ships with the Daydream controller in November for $79, available at Google’s online store, Best Buy and from Verizon, the exclusive US wireless carrier of Pixel.
This story is breaking – we’ll add more information as we find it.
