The Google Cardboard is a simple tool that allowed for basically anyone to experience VR, as long as they have a compatible phone. The company has previously open sourced the actual cardboard component of the tech, releasing its measurements for anyone to download. Now, the internet search giant is doing the same for the software as well.
Despite this, the company is not completely abandoning the project. In a developers blog, Google says that it will continue to contribute to the project by adding new features. These include an SDK package for the Unity game engine. But it remains to be seen if this will be a long term thing, or part of the company’s winding down roadmap.
Google has shipped over 15 million units of the Cardboard since it was first announced back in 2014. Its use has declined over time, but the company says that there is still “consistent usage around entertainment and education experiences”. The open sourcing of the Cardboard code at least allow developers of VR content to continue their work without having to wait on Google.
The Google Cardboard has been one of the more affordable ways for the average consumer to experience VR. While Google itself is moving away from phone-based VR, it’s good to know that it will still be alive in some form or other.
(Source: Google [1], [2] via The Verge)
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