Google is holding an event tomorrow, where the company is expected to launch two new phones, its Google Home smart home speaker, a new Chromecast, and a bunch of other things, possibly including a preview of Andromeda: a new operating system that combines features of Android and Chrome OS.
Oh, and one more thing: According to Variety’s Janko Roettgers, Google may also unveil the first virtual reality headset based on the company’s new Daydream platform.
The Daydream device is basically an amped up version of the Google Cardboard headsets the company first introduced a few years ago. It doesn’t have its own screen or processor. Instead, it’s a shell that you insert a smartphone into, and the phone provides the visuals and the processing power.
But what makes Daydream different from Cardboard is that the new platform is designed to work with a physical remote control with buttons and motion sensors, allowing you to interact with VR apps without touching your phone.
The platform also has some minimum specs for latency and performance, so while the new Daydream headset will almost certainly work with Google’s new Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones, it’s not clear which, if any, other existing Android phones will fully support the headset’s features.
Expected to sell for $79, the new Daydream headset is expensive by Google Cardboard standards. But it’s cheaper than a $99 Samsung Gear VR headset and far cheaper than a $600 Oculus Rift or $800 HTC Vive headset (although Google’s headset doesn’t support PC gaming the way those models do).
Google will be live-streaming its October 4th event online at youtube.com/google. The event starts at 9AM Pacific/12PM Eastern.
