Google’s virtual reality headset now just a “Daydream”

For those who have been waiting for Google to launch a virtual reality headset akin to Facebook’s Oculus and HTC, will be disappointed. Google has shut down the internal project to create a high-end standalone virtual reality headset and plans to streamline its other, more ambitious projects.

Google is shifting more resources behind mobile VR—tools for companies to build apps, games, and services on smartphones that use the nascent media—rather than on expensive hardware.

The tech giant had released Daydream in May, a platform and reference design for new VR hardware and had indicated that it will launch the device soon. The Daydream platform is built on the latest version of Google’s Android operating system. The company also set up a different VR project inside the X research lab with around 50 employees to create a separate operating system for the device, unique from Android. However now, it seems that Daydream will remain a dream.

This also means that Google is not interested in competing directly with hardware from Facebook, Samsung, HTC and others, which have released costlier VR equipment.