Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Google Brings 'Cardboard' Virtual Reality Headset to iOS With New SDK, iPhone App

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,547
30,864



Google last year debuted Google Cardboard, an inexpensive virtual reality platform that combined a cardboard mount and lens with a smartphone to create a virtual reality headset.

Up until today, Google Cardboard has only been available for Android users, but at its Google I/O event, Google announced a new Google Cardboard app for iOS. The new app lets the Cardboard system work with Apple's iPhones for the first time.

googlecardboard.jpg

With a Cardboard viewer and an iPhone 5, 5c, 5s, 6, or 6 Plus, the Cardboard app can be used to explore virtual environments, use a virtual kaleidoscope, view 3D objects in a virtual museum, and take hikes through cities around the world.

Google also announced a new version of Cardboard at its I/O event, which can accommodate phones as big as six inches. It also has a new activation "switch" that is constructed of cardboard instead of magnets, allowing it to work with all phones.

There are several third-party companies that have constructed Cardboard viewers based on Google's Cardboard specifications, which can be purchased at prices that start at $20. Google also provides instructions that let users make their own Cardboard headsets.

Google Cardboard can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Google Brings 'Cardboard' Virtual Reality Headset to iOS With New SDK, iPhone App
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/05/28/google-cardboard-vr-headset/
E

elmateo487

macrumors 6502a
Jun 12, 2008
873
530
It is funny how different Google and Apple are. Apple would never use the word cardboard in the title of one of their products.

It's like cats and dogs with these guys, and its a good thing.
 
G

Got Haggis?

macrumors member
Jun 19, 2010
99
9
where can you buy the 'new' cardboard? I see a picture of it and some 3rd party cardboard places on googles site..but no idea if those are the new cardboard or not?
 
69Mustang

69Mustang

macrumors 604
Jan 7, 2014
7,895
15,043
In between a rock and a hard place
Holy crap. Mattel is coming out with a version of Cardboard based on the classic View Master. The tech nerd and the toddler in me just high fived. The toddler got a little too excited and needs a diaper change.:eek:

View Master yay!
 
nagromme

nagromme

macrumors G5
May 2, 2002
12,546
1,196
I like this much better than Samsung's expensive hardware holder (Oculus Mobile) which only works with one phone model.

I tried the Samsung, and it is VERY cool: it's working VR! But also a big disappointment compared to my Oculus Rift DK on Mac/Windows. Why? Because high-detail VR needs a ton of GPU power. Oculus Mobile gives a nice 3D effect, but the texture and polygon detail is miserable, and there are few titles available. $150? No thanks!

But Cardboard is cheap! If you're going to go with cheap, low-end VR, go all the way! I definitely plan to try this.

And iOS has Apple's faster chips plus Metal! If developers take full advantage, Cardboard with an iPhone could far outshine the limited gimmickry of the Android VR I've used.

(Also, as devs have discovered, the accuracy of the orientation sensors in Android devices tends to be poor. And you need rock-solid tracking to avoid "VR sickness.")
 
Last edited:
sracer

sracer

macrumors G4
Apr 9, 2010
10,287
13,021
where hip is spoken
69Mustang said:
Holy crap. Mattel is coming out with a version of Cardboard based on the classic View Master. The tech nerd and the toddler in me just high fived. The toddler got a little too excited and needs a diaper change.:eek:

View Master yay!
Click to expand...
LOL

Hasbro has had a 3D viewer for iPod Touch and iPhone for years. Using iOS 3D photo software, I was able to take stereoscopic photos with both (iPod Touch and iPhone)

I've also scanned some ViewMaster reels and converted the scanned images for use with the Hasbro viewer. Their underwater 3D game was pretty neat.
 
Zedcars

Zedcars

macrumors 6502
Apr 5, 2010
406
718
Brighton, UK
The app link doesn't work for me. I'm guessing it's because I'm in the UK.

Would it hurt MR to mention whether apps are US only so those outside the US don't have to second guess?
 
Last edited:
jclardy

jclardy

macrumors 601
Oct 6, 2008
4,161
4,373
brdeveloper said:
Nice concept. Create your own headset without having to import cheap fancy plastic mounts.
Click to expand...

Yeah, honestly this is what VR needs until we get the software going. It is the chicken and egg problem - nobody will build VR software till people have VR hardware...and nobody will buy VR hardware until there is good VR software.

Cardboard solves the hardware problem by using your phone and cheap parts.
 
Dekard

Dekard

macrumors 6502
Sep 7, 2011
394
2
Dallas, Texas
jclardy said:
Yeah, honestly this is what VR needs until we get the software going. It is the chicken and egg problem - nobody will build VR software till people have VR hardware...and nobody will buy VR hardware until there is good VR software.

Cardboard solves the hardware problem by using your phone and cheap parts.
Click to expand...

But... you'll never get a great experience on phone hardware. It's hard enough for a fully functional PC to push the Occulus, let alone the phone. (BTW, guy in my office has both Occulus and Cardboard.) seen both would love to see it finally catch on. can't wait to be gaming in a FPS with one of these suckers.
 
R

r-m

macrumors 6502a
May 7, 2010
597
46
Oh booooo. Must be US only?
Not available in the UK. Someone else posted not available in Canada.
 
iPadCary

iPadCary

macrumors 6502a
Mar 6, 2012
602
211
NEW YORK CITY
More Is More

This isn't that big of a deal.
VR's been on iPod Touches & iPhones for awhile now: HomidoVR
It's a iVR app aggregator: just browse, tap the experience you want & it sends you to the app in App Store.
Most are free or a buck.

I use it with a "ColorCross HMD"-$25
I put an iPod Touch 5G in it and it works great! Obviously, it uses all manner of iPhones, too.
I know there's a $20 version out there, but that's from China and it'll take, like, six weeks to get it.
Believe me, I know! lol
Spend the extra lousy 5 beans & take advantage of Amazon's fantastic CS.
It's absolutely more than worth it!

What "Carboard" does is now add more iVR choices, and that's a great thing, of course!
And I'll use it to access a wider selection iVR experiences.
Android has wayyyyy too many more VR experiences and I'm insanely jealous of that.
Will "iCardboard" encourage those devs to port thier aVR stuff over to iVR? Who knows ....
But is this now the first time VR's been available on iPod Touches & iPhones?
Nope.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom