5/13/2016: Updated to reflect a recent discovery in the ay Developer Console.
It’s looking like a safe bet that will show off Android VR, the working title for a dedicated virtual reality headset, at I/O next week.
The latest piece of evidence comes from the ay Developer Console, which briefly had a dedicated placeholder for Android VR. This implies that developers will soon have the option to build native VR support for Android apps submitted to the ay Store.
Android lice Android VR made a brief cameo in the ay Developer Console
This follow a report from investor former tech journalist Rojas, who shared the goods in a series of tweets.
Android VR will definitely be announced next week, from what I’ve heard will be less powerful than the Vive or Rift.
— Rojas (@peterrojas) May 11, 2016
The details mirror an earlier Financial es report that was at work on its own virtual reality hardware.
In follow-up tweets, Rojas said the stalone device would be more powerful than the Gear VR, but not as good as the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive.
To get a high level of performance, such a device would probably need to cost more than the rather affordable Gear VR, which requires a modern Galaxy smartphone. has recently been ramping up its internal hardware team with the hiring of former Motorola CEO Osterloh to lead a new hardware division.
It’s one of many things we’ll watch out for at I/O next week in Mountain View.
The story behind the story: This is an ideal next step for ’s foray into VR. The company sought to popularize the concept with Cardboard, which allows most smartphones to do a quick dirty transformation into a virtual reality headset. It offers an attractive gateway drug, which other companies have sought to make mainstream with their own headsets. How ’s own offering will compare is definitely an intriguing question.
