Announced back in May, an update bringing Google Daydream support to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus has begun rolling out, making those phones the only two to support both Daydream VR and Gear VR.
The Android Soul reports today that Galaxy S8 and S8+ updates with Google Daydream support have begun rolling out to Verizon customers. The updates are detailed on Verizon’s website as NRD90M.G950USQU1AQG4 for the S8 and NRD90M.G955USQU1AQG4 for the S8+. Several other improvements to the phone’s operating system, including the latest Android security improvements, come with the update. Other carriers should deploy the update in due time, though it isn’t clear yet when that will happen.
The update makes the Galaxy S8 and S8+ arguably the best phones to own right now for VR because they’re the only two that offer support for both Google’s Daydream and Samsung’s Gear VR headsets, which means users aren’t stuck in one ecosystem or the other.
For Oculus, whose software underpins the Gear VR headset, the newfound Daydream support is an awkward affair to say the least, we explained why in a prior article: How Google’s Latest VR Moves Are a Major Blow to Oculus’ Mobile Strategy.