Google seems to have completely given up all hopes on VR and VR headsets. After dropping support for its Daydream platform in the latest Android 11 operating system, Google has now discontinued its most affordable VR headset– Google Cardboard. The Cardboard VR headset will no longer be available after five years of its first release.
“We are no longer selling Google Cardboard on the Google Store. We will continue to help the community build new experience through our Cardboard open source project,” a message on the Google Store page says.
Google Cardboard is an easy-to-use VR device which is compatible with any Android phone with around 5-inch display. This device allowed people to play games and watch content in VR without spending a lot of money.
With Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality taking over, it seems the days of just Virtual Reality are numbered. Thankfully, there are a lot of alternatives to the real Cardboard device that you can buy.
After Google dropped support for the Daydream VR platform with the release of Android 11, the Daydream headset and controller could still be used as a generic VR viewer, just like Cardboard. However, the Daydream VR app is no longer supported and may not work properly on some devices running Android 11 or later. Alternatively, many of the third-party apps and experiences within Daydream may still be available as standalone apps in the Google Play store.