The recently concluded Google I/O 2016 put a lot of focus on a new toy: the Daydream VR. This successor of the Google Cardboard is hardly just a cosmetic upgrade—however, its appearance also got a much-needed upgrade.
The Daydream, in a nutshell, works very similarly to the Samsung Gear VR. But what the Gear does not have is the unmatched library backing the Daydream VR, which just so happens to be YouTube, Engadget reported.
Sure, games were the first choice of content when it comes to VR. However, one of the things that will propel VR upwards as a whole is the VR video experience. Watching videos on the Cardboard was, well, not the best thing in the world.
The Cardboard, however, introduced a status to VR that was much needed in a world still getting familiar with the tech. However, one mission of the Daydream VR is to make sure users stay glued to the Daydream, another Engadget article reported.
Updates to YouTube include 360-video, both pre-recorded and live, spatial audio and being able to view any video in VR. YouTube VR product manager Kurt Wilms said, “What you're seeing now is our next step, which is taking all these early bets we made on the technology and bringing them to life in an experience built from the ground up.”
What Wilms meant when he said “ground up” is a three-pillar strategy. The first requires VR content surfacing to users with a home screen that has curated recommendations for VR videos and content with spatial audio.
The second pillar is making all YouTube videos VR-ready. Wilms said, “Watching any video, browsing the home screen, the ability to sign in, your subscriptions and recommendations are all available.”
The last pillar is making the VR experience comfortable for hours-long use. This is in comparison to the Cardboard, which, quite frankly, strained necks. The app is integrated with the remote and can be used to navigate the interface, unlike the Cardboard, which relied on head movements.
