This Is Google Daydream 2.0 "Euphrates"

This morning Google revealed the second major iteration of their VR platform Google Daydream. This second age in the software and hardware platform includes updates in five major categories: Audio, Graphics, Performance, User Interface, and Tracking + Input. This update will be coming for all Daydream hardware – so it's not limited to only the future of the platform, but it is optimized for a couple of new processors, so watch out for that.

In Audio, Google Daydream 2.0 will be getting both Unity and Unreal Engine Support. Also included in the spec is Wwise and FMOD support for audio, as well as spatial ambient baking – the best kind of ambient baking. Precomputed room acoustics will make the entire VR experience more realistic – as will real-time early reflection rendering.

Graphics updates to Daydream in Daydream 2.0 include Vulkan support (at last!) as well as support for a multi-process VR compositor. This update will include multiview stereo rendering for a swifter real-time experience, as well as multi-layer support. On the hardware side, this update will include dual-panel device support – for all those dual-panel VR devices in the mobile market that don't yet exist, hint hint!

Performance upgrades include a new direct sensors channel as well as ARM Mali-G71 support. Developers will be able to take advantage of just-in-time sensor buffer and will get support for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC. This update also brings VR sleep mode to mobile for the first time.

UI upgrades bring 2D system UI support as well as a contextual dashboard UI. Users will now find a content guide in the Home screen, as well as a new safeguard system. Perhaps most important for content creators, Daydream 2.0 will include both screenshot and video capture support. Users at home will be able to share their experiences in the living room with Google Cast support.

Tracking and Input updates include Auto magnetometer calibration as well as Auto gyroscope drift correction. A new global head pose service will allow more realism for the wearer of Daydream headsets – a new elbow model for the Daydream controller will make for an interesting addition, too. Below you'll see a bit more about how WorldSense will affect Daydream 2.0, too!