Google had a high-end, standalone virtual reality headset in the works that was recently ditched in favour of the Android-centric ‘Daydream’ VR platform, a new report suggests.
It seem that persistent rumours of a standalone, Google VR headset may not have been so far from the truth after all. Recode reports that sources close to the company state that, alongside the development of the Android based Daydream mobile VR platform, another project inside Google’s X research lab was aiming to produce a high end, standalone VR headset.
Intriguingly, Recode also reports that the new headset would be built on top of a new, dedicated operating system, which seems an altogether bizarre move for a company that’s spent years building it’s Android OS into a globally mobile platform.
There are few other details, other than to note that it’s not unusual for Google (or any other large company) to pursue R&D projects that are later nixed and it seems that in this case, Google decided focusing on bringing high performance virtual reality to it’s mobile platform via Daydream was the smarter move. We’re inclined to agree too.