"Google's VR headset platform — discontinued because the phones powerful enough to run it did not support it."
—
RAISED
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EMPLOYEES
36
MONTHS
timingSilent Shutdown
Quiet closure with no public announcement
// Fatal mistake: Pixel 4 (Google's own flagship) launched without Daydream support — Google abandoned its own platform
Key Events Timeline
2016-01
FOUNDING
Google Daydream project initiated internally as a high-quality mobile VR platform initiative.
2016-05
PRODUCT LAUNCH
Google announces Daydream VR platform at Google I/O 2016, introducing the 'Daydream-ready' phone certification standard.
2016-11
PRODUCT LAUNCH
Google launches the Daydream View headset at $79 alongside the Pixel smartphone, marking the platform's commercial debut.
2017-10
PRODUCT LAUNCH
Google releases the second-generation Daydream View headset in three colors at $99, expanding compatibility to select Samsung and other Android devices.
2018-05
PIVOT
Google announces standalone VR headset Lenovo Mirage Solo with Daydream at Google I/O 2018, signaling a strategic shift away from phone-based VR.
2018-08
REGULATORY ACTION
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and S9 drop Daydream support, significantly reducing the pool of compatible Daydream-ready devices on the market.
2019-05
PRODUCT LAUNCH
Google launches the Pixel 4 smartphone in October 2019 without Daydream VR support, effectively abandoning the platform's own hardware ecosystem.
2019-06
SHUTDOWN
Silent Shutdown: Google Daydream ceases operations, with Google citing that 'most people don't want to put their phone in a headset' as the primary reason for discontinuation.
🔥 Hall of Flame 45%🏆 Hall of Fame 42%
Google announced Daydream VR at Google I/O 2016 as a high-quality mobile VR platform requiring a "Daydream-ready" phone.
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