Google Ends Daydream VR Platform Due to Low Adoption
Google officially discontinues its Daydream VR headset and drops platform support for the Pixel 4. The tech giant now shifts its focus toward augmented reality experiences instead.
Google brings its Daydream VR experiment to a close as the newly announced Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones do not support the platform. The company also stops selling Daydream View headsets, marking a definitive end to its smartphone-based virtual reality efforts. Despite this shutdown, the Daydream app and store remain available for existing users with older Pixel devices.
A Google spokesperson cites a lack of broad consumer and developer adoption as the primary reason for the discontinuation, noting a steady decrease in headset usage over time. The company identifies fundamental limitations with smartphone VR, pointing out that placing a phone inside a headset prevents users from accessing their essential daily apps. This inherent friction ultimately makes smartphone VR an unviable long-term solution.
The writing appears on the wall for some time, as Google already removed Daydream support from the Pixel 3a line earlier this year and shut down related initiatives like the Jump VR platform and Spotlight Stories VR studio. Moving forward, Google shifts its resources entirely toward augmented reality, investing heavily in features like AR walking directions in Maps, Google Lens, and immersive AR experiences in Search.