14 DAY TRIAL // Not many smartphones feature support for Google's Daydream project, but the search giant is trying to bring VR functionality to a larger audience. Since it launched Daydream last year in November, Google took the necessary steps to make mobile VR available to everyone.
Currently, only three smartphones are fully compatible with Daydream: Pixel, Pixel XL and Motorola Moto Z. However, starting this month, four new smartphones join the Daydream family: Porsche Design Huawei Mate 9, Huawei Mate 9 Pro, Asus ZenFone AR, and ZTE Axon 7.
“Daydream-ready phones are built for VR with high-resolution displays, ultra smooth graphics, and high-fidelity sensors for precise head tracking. To give you even more choices to enjoy Daydream, today we’re welcoming new devices that will soon join the Daydream-ready family,” said Google's VP of Business and Operataion, VR and AR, Amit Singh.
The ZTE Axon 7 will be Daydream-ready once the Chinese handset maker delivers the long-awaited Android 7.0 Nougat update. Thanks to its Snapdragon 820 processor, the smartphone is powerful enough to offer true mobile VR experiences.
On the other hand, Asus ZenFone AR will surely offer immersive Daydream experiences with its 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with Quad HD (2560 x 1440 pixels) resolution, as well as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor.
Moreover, Asus' smartphone will also be Tango-ready, in addition to being compatible with Google's Daydream VR headset. Tango will give the Asus phone augmented reality (AR) functionality via Tango's three key technology: motion tracking, depth perception, and area learning.
Last but not least, both Huawei Mate 9 Pro and Porsche Design Mate 9, which feature Quad HD display and powerful HiSilicon Kirin 960 CPUs, will join the Daydream family, so users can enjoy VR experiences.
In the same piece of news, Google has confirmed that Huawei is already working on a Daydream-ready headset, which will be announced later on. The Huawei VR headset will feature an adjustable focus so it can be used without eyeglasses, and it should provide a 95-degree FOV (field of view).