Finally injecting some much needed quality into India’s rather low-quality VR hardware market (with Oculus and Samsung of course being the exceptions), Google has today announced the launch of its Daydream View VR headset in India. The headset starts at an affordable ₹6,499, and is available on Flipkart starting today.
Designed and developed by Google, Daydream View delivers simple, high-quality VR. With Daydream View, users can always get the best seat in the house. Experience sports, live events and more in full 360° panoramic view. Plus, now Indian users can watch top shows and movies, distraction-free, on their own virtual big screen.
Talking about this launch, Google’s VP of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Clay Bavor said,
Users can teleport from virtually anywhere to pretty much everywhere. Our aim is to make the VR experience mobile so that customers can easily carry it anywhere with them. We at Google are also working with developers, smartphone companies, and content creators to make VR accessible to all.
Daydream View uses soft microfibers — similar to what Oculus does — and deploy a fabric design to make the wearing experience as comfortable;e as possible. The device is also lightweight, at 30% less heavy than similar devices — which should make life easier for those who plan to use it for extended time intervals. What’s more, if you wear spectacles — well Google has taken that into account as well and the Daydream View should fit cosily over your glasses.
Interestingly enough, the headset is basically a enhanced version of the good old Google cardboard. Simply open the latch, slide the device in, close the latch and you have your very own cool new, Daydream ready, View headset.
The device comes with its own controllers. And while the company has kept it pretty minimalistic with just two buttons and a trackpad, the stuff under the hood is pretty stare of the art and promises to deliver top notch VR experiences. Google has also come up with a nifty looking storage slot inside the headset, that can be used to place the controller in.
The headsets come in three different colors, namely Snow (white), slate (grey), and crimson (red).Google also gave us a look at some of the titles that will be coming to the Daydream View, and I am a die hard fan already!
Giving the Pixel brand a push
While Daydream VR in itself will be an exciting gadget to add the Indian geek collection, it is also an attempt by Google, to revive its dead-since-launch smartphones — the Pixels. Both Pixel and Pixel XL never really gained traction, both globally and specially in a price-conscious market like India, where the top end buyers go with an iPhone, or a OnePlus or a Samsung, and the more dominant mid-tier buyers go for plethora of Chinese brands — Gionee, Oppo, Vivo and what not.
Google’s content push
With Facebook videos seeing a sharp rise in the overall Youtube-dominated video content domain, Google wants more of its content discovered and viewed by audiences. Now that becomes even more quintessential for a market like India, wherein almost half of the over 1.3 Billion populace is yet to experience the fruits of internet.
From the universe of YouTube videos to magical worlds where users can cast spells and levitate objects, there is an array of experiences waiting to be enjoyed on Daydream. With YouTube VR, you can watch the entire library of videos on a virtual big screen and experience VR videos from creators from around the world.
With Play Movies, users can watch shows and films on their own personal big-screen. And Google Photos displays your 360° captures in a whole new way.
Apps and games on Daydream include NYT VR, Guardian VR, The Turning Forest, Labster: World of Science, Netflix VR, Google Play Movies, Within, Fantastic Beasts, The Arcslinger, Wonderglade, Mekorama VR, Gunjack 2: End of Shift, Need for Speed™ No Limits VR, LEGO® BrickHeadz Builder VR and dozens more.
Launch Offers
PhonePe users on Flipkart that buy Daydream via UPI will get a flat ₹ 300 off on payment. Also the first 30 customers will receive a Google Chromecast free, and the first 50 customers will receive a Google Play Store Credit worth ₹500.
