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Google VR SDK 1.0 Released, Lets You Develop VR Content for Daydream Ready Smartphones

Google VR SDK 1.0 Released, Lets You Develop VR Content for Daydream-Ready Smartphones

By Shekhar Thakran | Updated: 23 September 2016 12:10 IST

Highlights

Google VR SDK 1.0 with support for Daydream comes out of beta
Google is opening applications to its Daydream Access Program
Daydream compatible phones are expected to come out this fall

Even though Google was expected to launch a standalone VR headset at its I/O event this year, it instead chose to announce the Daydream VR hardware and software reference platform. Even though first set of phones to support this platform are expected to come out this fall, the search giant has announced that Google VR SDK 1.0 with support for its Daydream platform has come out of beta stage.

Google VR SDK 1.0 is currently available for download on Google's Daydream developer website.

(Also see: Google's Daydream VR Ecosystem: Everything You Need to Know)

"Our updated SDK simplifies common VR development tasks so you can focus on building immersive, interactive mobile VR applications for Daydream-ready phones and headsets, and supports integrated asynchronous reprojection, high fidelity spatialised audio, and interactions using the Daydream controller," Google said in a blog post on its developer site.

Google has also partnered with big names like Unity and Unreal in order to allow developers to use game engines and tools that they are already familiar with. The company has also provided documentation, sample apps, and tutorials on its website to help the developers.

(Also see: Google Unveils Daydream VR Ecosystem; Announces Headset and Controller at I/O)

As we pointed out in one of our earlier reports, Daydream is not just a hardware standard for smartphones and is also a software platform. The smartphones compatible with the platform will come with a feature called Android VR mode, which includes optimisations for better app performance.

The company said that it is also opening applications to its Daydream Access Program to work closely with developers who will make applications for the platform. In order to be a part of this programme, you need to sign up over here.

To recall, beyond the hardware and software reference platform, Google did unveil the Daydream VR headset - a more sturdy version of the Google Cardboard offering that still requires a smartphone to operate, and comes with a Bluetooth-enabled controller with motion recognition abilities.

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