Google introduced Daydream View in 2016 as a successor to Cardboard for phones that supported the Daydream platform.
Daydream View was a fabric-covered smartphone VR headset announced by Google in October 2016. A compatible Android phone slipped into the front compartment, while a small wireless controller supplied pointing and motion input. The system was intended to be more comfortable and polished than the inexpensive Google Cardboard viewers that preceded it.
The headset worked with Google’s Daydream software platform and required a Daydream-ready phone. Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL were among the first compatible phones promoted with the product. The viewer came in several fabric colors and was designed for relatively simple home entertainment, including video and games.
Daydream View is distinct from Google Cardboard, which described a low-cost viewer design, and from standalone headsets such as Oculus Go. Google discontinued the Daydream platform in 2019 as phone-based VR lost momentum compared with dedicated headsets.