Google has finally brought its Daydream VR headset to India. The Mountain View-based company unveiled the Daydream project back at the Google I/O 2016, and the first piece of hardware was announced alongside the first generation Google Pixel phones in October 2016. It was launched with a price tag of $79 in the US and is currently on sale in various countries across the globe.
It took almost eight months for Google to launch the product in India. Nevertheless, the product is now official in India and will be available via Flipkart for Rs. 6,499. The Google Daydream is a VR headset manufactured to compete with the Samsung Gear VR headset. The Daydream headset is virtually lighter than the Gear VR at 220 grams.
However, the Daydream requires a compatible smartphone to work. Currently, the Google Pixel phones and the Motorola Moto Z smartphones have the compatibility. Google recently said that the support would be extended to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ with a software upgrade.
Just like other VR headsets available in the market, the Daydream headset comes with a face mask (which can be replaced) held in a velcro, in which the supported smartphone should be placed. With the Daydream project, Google is betting big on the virtual reality (VR) platform. When you put a smartphone in the Daydream headset, the Daydream app will be automatically opened with the help of NFC to watch the content.
Moreover, Google has launched various services to support the Daydream platform such as YouTube, Google Play Store, Google Maps. Furthermore, the search giant has partnered with Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, and Lego. Recently, Lego has released a Lego BrickHeadz Builder VR game exclusively to the Daydream. There are other services such as HBO Go, and recently Netflix also launched a dedicated Netflix VR for with support for Daydream. Currently, there is an excess of 50 Daydream apps in the Google Play Store.
Along with the Daydream VR headset, the company also unveiled the Motion Controller. As the name itself suggests, the controller is used to detect your movement. The controller has one home button, one menu button, volume buttons on one side, a trackpad on the bottom, and various internal sensors, which can tell your motion. The controller can be placed into a slot inside the Daydream headset when you're not using it.
The Google Daydream VR headset is launched in only one colour in India called 'Slate.' In other countries, the product is available in two more colours- 'Snow' and 'Crimson.'
