Google cancels work on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive rival, goes all-in on mobile VR

Google was developing a high-end VR headset competitor to take on the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, but has now shelved the project.

That’s according to sources ‘familiar with the plans’ talking to Recode, with one contact suggesting that the tech giant was working on a operating system dedicated to virtual reality before it was dropped in favour of building similar features into its mobile OS, Android.

In May, Google revealed Daydream, an Android-powered VR platform that will act as a successor to its Cardboard solution for smartphones.

The rival to GearVR is paired with a ‘VR Mode’ in the Android N operating system which will funnel extra hardware resources into running virtual reality applications.

Approximately 50 people were working on the cancelled VR OS, a source suggested, with another saying that the company’s virtual reality division is ‘quite big’ – reaffirming Google’s dedication to the growing sector.