Ever since the launch of the Google Pixel, many have known this phone to be the only one capable of the title Daydream ready.
The search engine giant went live with the Google Daydream platform last month and since then, there have been talks of more devices coming in with support for this VR platform, including next year’s Samsung Galaxy S8, which has reportedly been codenamed Dream.
Now, it seems the Google Pixel phone is not the only Daydream ready handset out there. Motorola’s Moto Z and Moto Z Force are also compatible with the Daydream VR, but there is a catch. When the two phones were launched, they came preinstalled with Android Marshmallow, however, Daydream VR is part of Android Nougat.
In order to turn the Moto Z and Moto Z Force into a Daydream ready phone, you need to update it to the latest Android 7.0 Nougat OS. This has already been happening with Verizon’s Moto Z Droid and Moto Z Force Droid, meaning the rest of the family will be receiving the same treat once the new OS is installed.
The confirmation by Motorola that the Moto Z and Moto Z Force are Daydream ready makes the two handsets actually the first non-Google handsets to get this certification. This means that the two phones meet the required specs for a device that supports this VR platform, among them high-res displays, high-fidelity sensors for head tracking as well as ultra-smooth graphics.
In the U.S., Verizon is the only carrier selling the Moto Z and Moto Z Force handsets and when the company confirmed that Android 7.0 Nougat with Daydream VR support was rolling out, those using the devices on other carriers were left wondering what next for them. Well, the company has now made it official that all models of the Moto Z series will be equipped with this feature.
The Moto Z and Moto Z Force are available for prices between $700 and $720, but you will still need to buy a Daydream View VR headset for $79 in order to enjoy the new feature on these devices.